COVID 19 Protocol Update

[K_e_short]

18 minutes ago, sc4125 said:

We'll see how long the no smoking in casino lasts.  I've been on a bunch of cruises and the smoking area of the casinos seem way more crowded than the non-smoking area, though I do understand why non-smokers would rather not be around smokers.  

 

 

 

Im from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Many years ago the entire province went smoke free inside public areas.

Many people said that those businesses that depended on smokers would go out of business.

They said that the casinos, bingo halls, and bars would be empty. No one would go to those places if you werent allowed to smoke.

 

Well years later we have adjusted. Smokers go outside to smoke. Or dont smoke at all.

 

I know of at least one casino nearby that has decided they will not go back to allowing smoking inside (they had made that rule to be able to open during Covid).

 

Its going to last a while because unless the entire casino is empty because of the no smoking rule, they are making money.

 

 

 

[tytanbri]

On 12/18/2021 at 12:04 AM, nwcruiselover said:

I’m booked on a January cruise and have not received this.  It sounds like is was just sent out today.  Are there others who have not yet gotten the letter?

I never got it but my cruise partner did.

[Colorado Beach Bum]

24 minutes ago, K_e_short said:

 

Im from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Many years ago the entire province went smoke free inside public areas.

Many people said that those businesses that depended on smokers would go out of business.

They said that the casinos, bingo halls, and bars would be empty. No one would go to those places if you werent allowed to smoke.

 

Well years later we have adjusted. Smokers go outside to smoke. Or dont smoke at all.

 

I know of at least one casino nearby that has decided they will not go back to allowing smoking inside (they had made that rule to be able to open during Covid).

 

Its going to last a while because unless the entire casino is empty because of the no smoking rule, they are making money.

 

 

 

I agree that customers will adjust if they have to.  We’ve seen examples all over that went non-smoking.  But to say they are making money unless casino is entirely empty is like saying McDonald’s can make money selling one cheeseburger.  All businesses rely on volumes of customers.  It takes a lot of volume just to break even before making money.  And if the profits decline in the casinos they will just make up the money elsewhere with higher drink prices, more pay dining venues, higher spa packages, and even higher fares. The revenue and profits will to come from somewhere. 

[sc4125]

21 minutes ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

I agree that customers will adjust if they have to.  We’ve seen examples all over that went non-smoking.  But to say they are making money unless casino is entirely empty is like saying McDonald’s can make money selling one cheeseburger.  All businesses rely on volumes of customers.  It takes a lot of volume just to break even before making money.  And if the profits decline in the casinos they will just make up the money elsewhere with higher drink prices, more pay dining venues, higher spa packages, and even higher fares. The revenue and profits will to come from somewhere. 

Exactly.  Of course we all adjusted to restaurants and bars when they banned smoking, but that's not the same as a casino.  I'm not sure why smokers love to gamble (lol) but we do - and we spend hours in a casino as opposed to eating in a restaurant or having a drink or two in a bar.

 

For the most part (at least on the larger ships) CCL has done a pretty good job of separating smoking and non-smoking sections.  Most land based casinos provide large non-smoking areas.

  

 Maybe I'm mistaken, but I think this is going to definitely lead to a loss of income.

 

[Alekezam]

This is awesome! We cruise next month. We assumed the ship wouldn't be at full capacity and now based on what we've seen in this thread looks like loads of "my rights" individuals will be cancelling making the ship even less crowded......woohoo! 

 

So we'll gladly abide by the new rules if that's what it takes to weed out the unruly. 

[RoperDK]

53 minutes ago, Bgcruising said:

You assumed they would continue to allow people to book and then change their mind if things changed for a credit. Wrong assumption.  You summed it up in your own last sentence.  Then let it run its course. 

Yes, it was a wrong assumption.  My cruise is in 3 weeks. I will loose everything if I cancel.  Carnival's position when sailing resumed was that you could cancel for FCC.  No questions asked.  I used that offer several times.  My incorrect assumption is that they would notify you when their policy changed, preferably at booking.  They did not.  I will go on this cruise, but have had to modify my other travel plans.  I will no longer visit my 94 year old father on the drive home from the cruise.  I feel it won't be safe because of Omicron.  My future cruises are booked with RCCL.  They have a "cruise with confidence" policy.  It is in writing.  Cancel for FCC up to 48 hours before your cruise.  With Covid so unpredictable still, I feel that is my preferred option.        

[Bgcruising]

2 minutes ago, RoperDK said:

Yes, it was a wrong assumption.  My cruise is in 3 weeks. I will loose everything if I cancel.  Carnival's position when sailing resumed was that you could cancel for FCC.  No questions asked.  I used that offer several times.  My incorrect assumption is that they would notify you when their policy changed, preferably at booking.  They did not.  I will go on this cruise, but have had to modify my other travel plans.  I will no longer visit my 94 year old father on the drive home from the cruise.  I feel it won't be safe because of Omicron.  My future cruises are booked with RCCL.  They have a "cruise with confidence" policy.  It is in writing.  Cancel for FCC up to 48 hours before your cruise.  With Covid so unpredictable still, I feel that is my preferred option.        

I hope you have a great cruise regardless of the changes.  There is still plenty of tun to be had.

[K_e_short]

29 minutes ago, RoperDK said:

My future cruises are booked with RCCL.  They have a "cruise with confidence" policy.  It is in writing.  Cancel for FCC up to 48 hours before your cruise.  With Covid so unpredictable still, I feel that is my preferred option.        

That is a very good point to mention, even though the die hard Carnival fans will get mad.

 

Other cruise lines have different ways of handling the changing Covid rules in regards to cancelling/rescheduling/refunds/etc.

 

 

[trulytracy]

3 hours ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

I agree that customers will adjust if they have to.  We’ve seen examples all over that went non-smoking.  But to say they are making money unless casino is entirely empty is like saying McDonald’s can make money selling one cheeseburger.  All businesses rely on volumes of customers.  It takes a lot of volume just to break even before making money.  And if the profits decline in the casinos they will just make up the money elsewhere with higher drink prices, more pay dining venues, higher spa packages, and even higher fares. The revenue and profits will to come from somewhere. 

I am a non-smoker who would love to try out the casino if it didn't stink in there. This is my chance. There must be more like me.

[sunonfire]

Your guess is good as mine but here it goes. The new rules end January 31st. February 1st has different rules per the Carnival website. My cruise leaves on January 30 and ends on February 6th.  Hoping things improve but …….. would the January rules apply for my entire cruise or do you think the rules will change on February 1st.

[BlerkOne]

31 minutes ago, K_e_short said:

That is a very good point to mention, even though the die hard Carnival fans will get mad.

 

Other cruise lines have different ways of handling the changing Covid rules in regards to cancelling/rescheduling/refunds/etc.

 

 

Why? With Royal you still have to re-book by Spring and still have to sail next year or you lose everything.

[jsglow]

4 minutes ago, sunonfire said:

Your guess is good as mine but here it goes. The new rules end January 31st. February 1st has different rules per the Carnival website. My cruise leaves on January 30 and ends on February 6th.  Hoping things improve but …….. would the January rules apply for my entire cruise or do you think the rules will change on February 1st.

I would guess the rules as of your embarkation date will apply throughout.

[ober134]

On 12/17/2021 at 10:02 PM, csm5986142 said:

Did I read that right - no smoking in the casino?  Wow, I hope that is one rule they never reverse!

True... Last month on Horizon, smoke was so bad we spent only 10 minutes in the casino the entire week. Saved us money; I guess smokers spend enough that they don't need it from us non-smokers?

[Saint Greg]

Heard from someone on Mardi Gras this morning. It’s pretty much all masks all the time there.

[Colorado Cruzer]

Does anyone know if you can cancel your cruise and get full refund after final payment with the new covid protocols in place?  Our cruise isn't until March so I have some time to decide but seems like it would be a mess with masks, more people testing positive and threat of not making the cruise after we fly to the port city.  I can call Carnival but curious if anyone has heard about the cancellation policy.  Thanks.

[Saint Greg]

15 minutes ago, Colorado Cruzer said:

Does anyone know if you can cancel your cruise and get full refund after final payment with the new covid protocols in place?  Our cruise isn't until March so I have some time to decide but seems like it would be a mess with masks, more people testing positive and threat of not making the cruise after we fly to the port city.  I can call Carnival but curious if anyone has heard about the cancellation policy.  Thanks.

JH said yesterday that cancellation penalties would still apply. I’m wondering of they’d be better with pushing a cruise back.

[loohoo1]

4 hours ago, Alekezam said:

This is awesome! We cruise next month. We assumed the ship wouldn't be at full capacity and now based on what we've seen in this thread looks like loads of "my rights" individuals will be cancelling making the ship even less crowded......woohoo! 

 

So we'll gladly abide by the new rules if that's what it takes to weed out the unruly. 

Here's my perspective on cancelling. BTW, I'm thrilled that the casino is going smokeless and I thought mask enforcement was weak on our Horizon cruise last month, so I'm happy to see that it may be enforced more. But I am curious about cancellation penalties related to concerns over the Omicron variant. I'm fully vaccinated and boostered, so I'm not that concerned about getting sick, but I do believe there are going to be many vaccinated people testing positive in the next few weeks and the potential of needing to quarantine if there is an outbreak on my ship. I believe  it would limit (not eliminate) the number of positive cases if cruises sailed 100% vaccinated, but that's not the case for my cruise in 3 weeks. Given the high transmissabilty of Omicron, even 5% unvacc'd could lead to an outbreak. 

 

 

[ChrisNCruiser]

3 hours ago, trulytracy said:

I am a non-smoker who would love to try out the casino if it didn't stink in there. This is my chance. There must be more like me.

Based on how many people I've seen in the Magic's small new secondary smokeless casino, I would agree. 

[hurricane0226]

3 hours ago, sunonfire said:

Your guess is good as mine but here it goes. The new rules end January 31st. February 1st has different rules per the Carnival website. My cruise leaves on January 30 and ends on February 6th.  Hoping things improve but …….. would the January rules apply for my entire cruise or do you think the rules will change on February 1st.

Probably not

[cwtravel]

On the Mardi Gras Jan 29th. With increased Covid cases plus being cold & flu season probably not the best time to go but so far no plans to cancel.

 

Are temps being taken at check in? I think they were when cruising restarted, not sure about now.

 

Thanks-

Chris

[RoperDK]

5 hours ago, Bgcruising said:

I hope you have a great cruise regardless of the changes.  There is still plenty of tun to be had.

Thank you. I always have fun on a cruise!  Actually, looking forward to a smokeless casino.

[BlerkOne]

20 minutes ago, cwtravel said:

On the Mardi Gras Jan 29th. With increased Covid cases plus being cold & flu season probably not the best time to go but so far no plans to cancel.

 

Are temps being taken at check in? I think they were when cruising restarted, not sure about now.

 

Thanks-

Chris

Not that I've noticed, but Carnival does have non-contact technology that you might not even see. 

[tensixmom]

Is it possible to reach Carnival online or by email to cancel, or must one call them?  

My husband is not happy with the change in the mask requirements so it seems our quick getaway cruise mid-January will not be happening.

[K_e_short]

In regards to cancelling versus rescheduling:

 

It seems like Carnival is allowing people to move their cruise.

 

I'm not sure if they are giving full refunds.

I'm not sure if they are giving FCC for a future cruise booking.

 

I know of two people on my Dec 26th roll call who have switched their cruise to later next year.

[BlerkOne]

5 minutes ago, tensixmom said:

Is it possible to reach Carnival online or by email to cancel, or must one call them?  

My husband is not happy with the change in the mask requirements so it seems our quick getaway cruise mid-January will not be happening.

If you want to throw your money away, you should be able to cancel online, assuming you have an account on carnival.com.