The wait for negative COVID results and excursions

[rlindholm]

I always like to plan everything well in advance.  We sail 10/2 and I would normally have all shore excursions booked by now.  But since you can't know for sure whether you even get to cruise until 2 days before when you get that negative COVID test result, I'm a little hesitant to book anything.  Anyone else put off booking shore excursions for that reason?

 

Also if I did have excursions booked and we came back positive, would those be fully refunded?

[firefly333]

I havent booked any excursions. I might get off as quick as I can in Belize to go to the drugstore but I'm thinking of hanging out on the ship to play it safe. I'm older so for you it might not be your choice but I've read quite a few not getting off the ship at all. It's a added risk. 

 

I'm waiting myself. And I'm a planner, lol, I'm planning what pay restaurants I will eat at. We are talking on my roll call what drinks we will have. 

 

Some who did plan have had excursions especially for Belize get cancelled. My breeze they flip flopped our ports. I'm just cruising to cruise and whatever happens go with it. 

[Border Granny]

Firefly I’m like you, I’m cruising to be cruising:).  I have three cruises on the Breeze, completed one in August, have one coming up this month and finally one with my daughter in Mid December.  
 

Depending on how things are in December with COVID we are hoping to go to Paradise Beach, but if we’re not comfortable getting off we’ll enjoy the ship:).

[rlindholm]

10 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I haven't booked any excursions. I might get off as quick as I can in Belize to go to the drugstore but I'm thinking of hanging out on the ship to play it safe. I'm older so for you it might not be your choice but I've read quite a few not getting off the ship at all. It's a added risk. 

 

I'm waiting myself. And I'm a planner, lol, I'm planning what pay restaurants I will eat at. We are talking on my roll call what drinks we will have. 

 

Some who did plan have had excursions especially for Belize get cancelled. My breeze they flip flopped our ports. I'm just cruising to cruise and whatever happens go with it. 

 

We have done whole cruises without excursions and some where we do one at each port.  We still have our youngest kid at home who is coming with us this time, so I sort of want him to somewhat experience whatever countries we visit.  Some ports are fun just to wander around, others as you know, not much so much.

 

 

[AtSeaWithChris]

10 hours ago, rlindholm said:

I always like to plan everything well in advance.  We sail 10/2 and I would normally have all shore excursions booked by now.  But since you can't know for sure whether you even get to cruise until 2 days before when you get that negative COVID test result, I'm a little hesitant to book anything.  Anyone else put off booking shore excursions for that reason?

 

Also if I did have excursions booked and we came back positive, would those be fully refunded?

We for the first time have not booked any excursions that requires to be paid up front. We will just see what happens. 

[AtSeaWithChris]

10 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I havent booked any excursions. I might get off as quick as I can in Belize to go to the drugstore but I'm thinking of hanging out on the ship to play it safe. I'm older so for you it might not be your choice but I've read quite a few not getting off the ship at all. It's a added risk. 

 

I'm waiting myself. And I'm a planner, lol, I'm planning what pay restaurants I will eat at. We are talking on my roll call what drinks we will have. 

 

Some who did plan have had excursions especially for Belize get cancelled. My breeze they flip flopped our ports. I'm just cruising to cruise and whatever happens go with it. 

 I’m curious, is Belieze selling drugs that much cheaper or are there drugs that we can’t get here or get without prescriptions?

 

I know in Roatan you can get Valium without a prescription. At least you could in 2012. 

[sanger727]

Are you looking at ship excursions or private excursions? Ship excursions should be able to be cancelled if you can't cruise. Private excursions depend on the operator. But if you choose operators that market to cruisers - often they either will accept payment on the day of the excursion or offer a generous cancellation/refund policy. I don't book any excursions for cruise ships that can't be cancelled and refunded anyway due to weather or docking issues. 

[rlindholm]

43 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

Are you looking at ship excursions or private excursions? Ship excursions should be able to be cancelled if you can't cruise. Private excursions depend on the operator. But if you choose operators that market to cruisers - often they either will accept payment on the day of the excursion or offer a generous cancellation/refund policy. I don't book any excursions for cruise ships that can't be cancelled and refunded anyway due to weather or docking issues. 

We would probably just do ship excursions.  I think you answered my question, thank you.

[sanger727]

17 hours ago, AtSeaWithChris said:

 

 

I know in Roatan you can get Valium without a prescription. At least you could in 2012. 

 

I imagine you would be in a mess of trouble if you were caught bringing them back without a prescription....

[stellarose]

I always book ahead of time but since we have to test Christmas Eve. I am waiting. 

[jsglow]

In the current climate you have to stay flexible.  I normally research and book private.  Not now.  I want one call to my PVP and a couple clicks on Southwest.com to solve my problems.

[snowballs mom]

5 minutes ago, jsglow said:

In the current climate you have to stay flexible.  I normally research and book private.  Not now.  I want one call to my PVP and a couple clicks on Southwest.com to solve my problems.

That's me, also. It's much easier to cancel through Carnival.

[grumpyjr88]

The reputable private companies will have good refund policies. I once had to cancel a snorkel trip because it was storming and i didn't feel comfortable going. They were totally understanding and refunded all my money. I think that was autoprogreso iirc. 

[AtSeaWithChris]

1 hour ago, sanger727 said:

 

I imagine you would be in a mess of trouble if you were caught bringing them back without a prescription....

They sold it on the Carnival owned port store. Lol. There weren’t many left   I was pretty chill that week. No anxiety. 😂

[matt1119]

I don't plan on getting off at any port on my upcoming Panorama cruise. For one, I've been to all these ports before and they're dealing with capacity restrictions and closures. But the main reason is because masks are required even outdoors in Mexico.

 

If this was in the winter months, it would be much easier. But wearing a mask outdoors in that heat/humidity, no thanks.

[Woodfaerie]

I won't be planning any excursions until 1) my flight doesn't get cancelled 2) my covid test comes back negative 3) my covid test results come back in time for me to hop on board 4) Carnival doesn't cancel my cruise. Once those are checked off, I will make my way to the excursions desk and possibly,  book one.  It's hard enough to get through all this but dealing with all the delayed refunds, credits and cancellations, why add insult to injury if I don't need to.  And yep, I am a planner as well. 

[rlindholm]

6 minutes ago, Woodfaerie said:

I won't be planning any excursions until 1) my flight doesn't get cancelled 2) my covid test comes back negative 3) my covid test results come back in time for me to hop on board 4) Carnival doesn't cancel my cruise. Once those are checked off, I will make my way to the excursions desk and possibly,  book one.  It's hard enough to get through all this but dealing with all the delayed refunds, credits and cancellations, why add insult to injury if I don't need to.  And yep, I am a planner as well. 

🤣It's not funny but cruising has become so stressful.  Well, until you actually step onto the ship.  And even then, its probably stressful for a lot of people. 

 

I'm a healthy person, I don't get sick when other people do,  I'm a nurse, I worked through a lot of this pandemic without proper PPE and without the vaccine and in an uncontrolled environment and I've never stressed over getting COVID.  Now I'm stressing.  Shows you where my priorities are.  Vacation.  That's where my priorities are.