Final payment is on Dec 29. Our friends concern about Covid outbreak on a cruise.

[travelbug2225]

We are taking a cruise with our friends.  We plan to spend a week in Portugal and then broad Riviera from Lisbon to Barcelona.  Our final payment is on Dec 29. With the new outbreak of Covid on a cruise ship make them increasingly concerned.  Her husband in his 70 and had a heart surgery 2 years ago.  She concern that if he get Covid that they have to isolated on a ship and quarantine in a foreign country. 

We will talk tomorrow about this trip. I understand that Oceania is not a mass market cruise line with a lot less passengers compare to Carnival, Royal Caribbean, etc.  What should I tell them to reduce their concern? 

[LHT28]

If they are uneasy then they should do what they will be comfortable  with their decision

 

 You can catch Covid locally as well as on a cruise ship

 

No one knows what the situation will be next week let alone in 3 mths

JMO

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

22 minutes ago, travelbug2225 said:

We are taking a cruise with our friends.  We plan to spend a week in Portugal and then broad Riviera from Lisbon to Barcelona.  Our final payment is on Dec 29. With the new outbreak of Covid on a cruise ship make them increasingly concerned.  Her husband in his 70 and had a heart surgery 2 years ago.  She concern that if he get Covid that they have to isolated on a ship and quarantine in a foreign country. 

We will talk tomorrow about this trip. I understand that Oceania is not a mass market cruise line with a lot less passengers compare to Carnival, Royal Caribbean, etc.  What should I tell them to reduce their concern? 

Hopefully, you don’t want to try to “influence” someone else’s decision about an issue that has them concerned. All you really can/should do is provide them with factual info.

You mentioned a couple of mass market lines. Perhaps more important than ship size is the reality that Oceania has far more restrictions in place than do most other lines. This includes 100% vaccination requirement for passengers and crew as well as required embarkation testing, strongly recommended pre-Cruise testing, onboard mask requirements, etc. 

 
Hopefully, you’ve similarly chosen the right airline. FWIW, United has shown itself to be among the most competent carrier during this whole Covid mess. We were on Nautica’s last cruise (in February 2020) which ended up in Dubai instead of Singapore. In line for free Satellite calling to arrange new air, a retired Delta pilot was in line with me. To my question asking if Delta would take good care of him he replied: “For intercontinental air, I only use United.” I asked why and he answered: “because they answer the phone.” I too know this from personal experience.

 

In any case, your friends need to decide what’s in their own best interest. FWIW, we’re cruising MIA-MIA in mid-January. We’ve had enough staycationing over two years and our geezer “clocks are ticking.” We recently got our Moderna boosters and are prepared for the possibility of a cruise-to-nowhere. But, the only ships we’ll board in the foreseeable future are Oceania ones.

[Noxequifans]

I won't give anyone advice in this regard as few situations are identical. But, the main issue is something many of us are stressing over. In my case, I am not going to church but am going to the gym which has screening in place. A wise decision ... who knows.

 

I am sure there are various thoughts on this .... good luck to the OP in whatever they decide. 

 

. 

[jonthomas]

We cancelled our cruise which was to leave Jan 2. Not so much because of what may happen on board, but the situations in the Airports. Our home airport is a zoo at the best of times. Now it is a nightmare. Long line ups for several check points. Need to be able to sit on your luggage or the floor for long periods of time. 

 

The stress of getting there and coming home, outweighed the pleasure of the cruise itself. 

 

 

[BlueFish2000]

7 hours ago, LHT28 said:

If they are uneasy then they should do what they will be comfortable  with their decision

 

 You can catch Covid locally as well as on a cruise ship

 

No one knows what the situation will be next week let alone in 3 mths

JMO

 

It is much easier to protect yourself at home by going out only for necessary things.  We are booked for Mexico mid January and I am having 2nd thoughts because of air travel, being in a hotel, talk of few shows and things to do on the ship and then masks all the time but eating or drinking...We would like to perhaps meet others on a cruise and of course your suppose to stay away from each other.  It looked  much different when we booked 2 months ago.

[jagoffee]

4 hours ago, jonthomas said:

We cancelled our cruise which was to leave Jan 2. Not so much because of what may happen on board, but the situations in the Airports. Our home airport is a zoo at the best of times. Now it is a nightmare. Long line ups for several check points. Need to be able to sit on your luggage or the floor for long periods of time. 

 

The stress of getting there and coming home, outweighed the pleasure of the cruise itself. 

 

 

Did you cancel your January 2 cruise months ago or just recently?

[jonthomas]

10 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Did you cancel your January 2 cruise months ago or just recently?

 

We cancelled 4 days ago.  This is with Viking. Had a risk free guarantee. So getting a voucher to use for future cruise but hope there will be another risk free promo. Otherwise if we dont use it in 2 years it will be lost. 

[susiesan]

2 hours ago, jonthomas said:

 

We cancelled 4 days ago.  This is with Viking. Had a risk free guarantee. So getting a voucher to use for future cruise but hope there will be another risk free promo. Otherwise if we dont use it in 2 years it will be lost. 

Good for Viking taking care of their uneasy customers. Too bad Oceania does not hav the same policy in place. Most people who want to cancel would be happy with a voucher with a2 year tim to use limit, very generous of Viking.

[jagoffee]

3 hours ago, jonthomas said:

 

We cancelled 4 days ago.  This is with Viking. Had a risk free guarantee. So getting a voucher to use for future cruise but hope there will be another risk free promo. Otherwise if we dont use it in 2 years it will be lost. 

Thanks.  Got it.  I thought you were talking about an Oceania cruise, which was confusing me.