Anyone else starting to NOT miss cruise \travel.

[Flatbush Flyer]

28 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Our glass is half full not have empty.....Moving forward with caution but lot's of excitement to

"Get Back Out There" with RCI.

Get back out there? YES.

Royal Caribbean? IMO, one would have to be crazy to cruise on any line/ship that keeps demonstrating it cannot/will not prevent/control large scale Covid transmission. 
In an attempt to fill all planned cabin, the lax restrictions of lines like RCI and Carnival are full of dangerous holes in their fabric. Putting profit before public health is unconscionable.

[Keksie]

Every time I catch a glimpse of one of our photos from one of our cruises I miss going a bit.  However, not enough to put up with wearing a mask or the testing.  We will just vacation elsewhere for the time being.  

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Get back out there? YES.

Royal Caribbean? IMO, one would have to be crazy to cruise on any line/ship that keeps demonstrating it cannot/will not prevent/control large scale Covid transmission. 
In an attempt to fill all planned cabin, the lax restrictions of lines like RCI and Carnival are full of dangerous holes in their fabric. Putting profit before public health is unconscionable.

Your choice....DON'T Get Back Out There then.....Calling those of us that will cruise "crazy" is a bit harsh and uncalled for...You do you and we'll all do us.

[Aquahound]

Did a cruise in October and it was wonderful.  Service, entertainment, dining, etc, was top notch and it turned out to be one of the best cruises we've taken.  People can disparage cruise travel all they want (yet for some reason still visit Cruise Critic every day) but I was happy to return and I'll gladly do it again.  If that offends folks, well, I'm totally out of give-a-craps for them.  😉

[navybankerteacher]

26 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

Did a cruise in October and it was wonderful.  Service, entertainment, dining, etc, was top notch and it turned out to be one of the best cruises we've taken.  People can disparage cruise travel all they want (yet for some reason still visit Cruise Critic every day) but I was happy to return and I'll gladly do it again.  If that offends folks, well, I'm totally out of give-a-craps for them.  😉

October was October — Omicron was not here. 

[Pudgesmom]

We haven’t been out there yet, but do have two cruises planned for 2022. One is a twice rescheduled TA. That one we booked a large aft suite and will be totally happy sitting on the balcony for 12 nights and enjoying room service if we choose. We will be glad to get out and that trip was always figured to be iffy at best. 
 

Then we have a Black Sea cruise for next fall. That one has me watching the Russia/Ukraine situation more than Covid worries! 
 

I think my one change is going to start booking less far in advance. If there are no cabins we want a later booking time, we will book more land travel, which we also enjoy quite a bit.

[lenquixote66]

Next month my wife and I will be celebrating our 55th.anniversary .A few years ago the plan was to celebrate it on a cruiseWe are both elderly with medical issues .For us,cruising again may not be a possibility.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

Next month my wife and I will be celebrating our 55th.anniversary .A few years ago the plan was to celebrate it on a cruiseWe are both elderly with medical issues .For us,cruising again may not be a possibility.

It may be wise to not get on a cruise ship next month -- but pandemics do die out.  Well into 2022, more likely 2023, and almost certainly 2024 will give us better times.  Hang in there.

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 hours ago, Ashland said:

Your choice....DON'T Get Back Out There then.....Calling those of us that will cruise "crazy" is a bit harsh and uncalled for...You do you and we'll all do us.

Perhaps you should reread my post.
 

I suggested that cruising on two particular lines right now is not a smart thing to do because of the recently proven inadequacy of their Covid restrictions. 
 

I didn’t say that cruising now was “crazy.” In fact, I’ll be cruising in two weeks and have more than 100 nights total across five cruise segments booked throughout 2022. 

[Hlitner]

12 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Perhaps you should reread my post.
 

I suggested that cruising on two particular lines right now is not a smart thing to do because of the recently proven inadequacy of their Covid restrictions. 
 

I didn’t say that cruising now was “crazy.” In fact, I’ll be cruising in two weeks and have more than 100 nights total across five cruise segments booked throughout 2022. 

Just a thought that even the best cruise lines that take maximum precautions have had plenty of their own COVID issues (not always reported by the press).  At the current time COVID is an increased risk that impacts all travel.  When we were on the Seabourn Odyssey (last July) it was sobering to go on Deck 5 and see an entire corridor blocked off with signs warning that it was an "Isolation Area."  Fortunately for us, at the time it was only being used to quarantine some newly arrived crew who were required to quarantine (in a nice passenger suite) for 10-14 days before they could go to work.  But those cabins were also set aside for any passenger who needed to be isolated.  2 weeks after we left that ship there were 8 passengers who did test positive (between week 1 and week 2 of their cruise) and ultimately were put off the ship (for shoreside quarantine) on the island of Rhodes.  All those folks were fully vaccinated (as was every soul on the ship) and likely followed the required protocols.  They were also on a 600 passenger ship that had fewer than 300 passengers thus allowing for lots of social distancing.  

 

I guess you can take some comfort that if you would need to be Isolated on your favorite line you would likely get excellent room service and very good menu choices.....assuming you had any appetite.  I recently read that one common symptom of the Omicron Variant is the loss the appetite.  On your chosen cruise line that would be a very serious complication.

 

Hank

[ilikeanswers]

I have been enjoying many great trips around the city, in my state and even one out of my state. There are so many things to explore that I probably wouldn't have done without the pandemic.

 

Since I have managed to get some great domestic trips even with all the restrictions I think this has made me realise the joy I get from travelling outweighs the hassle so my desire to travel has not dampened. If anything this pandemic has spurred me to stop waiting for the right time to fulfil bucket list trips.

 

The right time could easily be stuffed up by another world event😂 and while I might not be senior yet even I have a tick tick for certain travel goals that might not be easy to achieve later in life especially with my family history, we don't exactly age well 😬. So for me I would say the pandemic has really solidified my desire to travel. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by ilikeanswers

[Joebucks]

13 hours ago, CHPURSER said:

Why would ANYONE miss Mass Market Cruising - better known as “Walmart at Sea”?

 

Now if you want to talk about a sophisticated cruise product, where the passengers are not so busy trying to “eat their money’s worth”, or pushing and shoving to be the first one at the buffet, or arguing that their “Formal Denims” are acceptable, yes, there is something to be missed.

 

Not everyone is like this on a mass-market cruise. Not even close. Just as not everyone is a stuffy, snob, on your type of cruises.

 

Some people actually LIKE the experience of a mass market cruise. Even though they can afford more.

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, Joebucks said:

 

Not everyone is like this on a mass-market cruise. Not even close. Just as not everyone is a stuffy, snob, on your type of cruises.

 

Some people actually LIKE the experience of a mass market cruise. Even though they can afford more.

Agree....I shop at Walmart but I could certainly shop at Nordstrom if I wanted to.

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, Joebucks said:

 

Not everyone is like this on a mass-market cruise. Not even close. Just as not everyone is a stuffy, snob, on your type of cruises.

 

Some people actually LIKE the experience of a mass market cruise. Even though they can afford more.

I agree. When our daughter was young (pre-Disney cruise line startup), the best kid’s program was Royal Caribbean. And that’s the cruise we preferred.
 

That said, when I post a suggestion to look at premium/luxury lines, it is meant primarily for those folks who want that experience but make the mistake of comparing only cabin prices rather than the total “door-to-door” bottom line cost of all required and optionally desired costs. 
And, FWIW, it is extremely gratifying when a rookie (or even seasoned) cruiser finally does the real “net daily rate” math and has the “aha experience” so many others of us have had over the years.

BTW: Happy New Year!

[ldubs]

19 hours ago, CHPURSER said:

Why would ANYONE miss Mass Market Cruising - better known as “Walmart at Sea”?

 

 

 

Why?  To avoid people who have a need to say things like "Walmart at sea".   

[Joebucks]

20 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I agree. When our daughter was young (pre-Disney cruise line startup), the best kid’s program was Royal Caribbean. And that’s the cruise we preferred.
 

That said, when I post a suggestion to look at premium/luxury lines, it is meant primarily for those folks who want that experience but make the mistake of comparing only cabin prices rather than the total “door-to-door” bottom line cost of all required and optionally desired costs. 
And, FWIW, it is extremely gratifying when a rookie (or even seasoned) cruiser finally does the real “net daily rate” math and has the “aha experience” so many others of us have had over the years.

BTW: Happy New Year!

 

I agree, people are absolutely horrible at comparing bottom line prices on things. They get caught up in the weeds of "this is included, this fare is cheaper, this fee bothers me, etc". When in the end, all that really matters is what you spent in total. Knowing what experience you are looking for and exploring your options can open many doors. To your point, it is true some people don't quite understand that some luxury liners may in fact be the best choice for what they were looking for.

 

With that, wanting a certain "experience" can be many things. Just looking at the numbers, the experience of say an Oasis class or equivalent sized ship seems to be quite popular. Having large amounts of activities, venues, shows, etc is a big value proposition to a lot of vacationers. I'd say myself included. All while my total cruise price is under $2k. I don't believe the market as a whole truly wants the luxury liner experience as much as you sometimes push.  Even if there was a scenario where it could potentially save them money by going with a luxury line, it still may not provide the vacation experience they are looking for.

[mnocket]

DW and I still miss cruising, but the earliest we contemplate returning is 2023.  So we just completed out first land vacation at an all inclusive resort.  WE LOVED IT!

 

I researched high-end all inclusive resorts in Mexico and settled on one a little south of Cancun.  DW and I were a bit nervous for a number of reasons.....

1. I've avoided Mexico for many years because I'm uncomfortable in places where corruption runs rampant - especially among law enforcement.
2. There have been a rash of cartel-related shootings in the area - including along the beaches at area resorts. Given these are cartel rivalries and haven't targeted tourists.
3. We've never been to an all inclusive resort.  I imagined it to be similar to a cruise albeit without port stops, but didn't really know what to expect.

It turned out to be 10 days of heaven!  I won't go into a full review here, but if you are considering all inclusive resorts as an alternative to cruising, I say DO  IT - but be sure to do your research.

[ldubs]

9 hours ago, Joebucks said:

 

I agree, people are absolutely horrible at comparing bottom line prices on things. They get caught up in the weeds of "this is included, this fare is cheaper, this fee bothers me, etc". When in the end, all that really matters is what you spent in total. Knowing what experience you are looking for and exploring your options can open many doors. To your point, it is true some people don't quite understand that some luxury liners may in fact be the best choice for what they were looking for.

 

With that, wanting a certain "experience" can be many things. Just looking at the numbers, the experience of say an Oasis class or equivalent sized ship seems to be quite popular. Having large amounts of activities, venues, shows, etc is a big value proposition to a lot of vacationers. I'd say myself included. All while my total cruise price is under $2k. I don't believe the market as a whole truly wants the luxury liner experience as much as you sometimes push.  Even if there was a scenario where it could potentially save them money by going with a luxury line, it still may not provide the vacation experience they are looking for.

 

Your last couple of sentences is what I think doesn't compute with some folks on these forums.   

[ldubs]

6 hours ago, mnocket said:

DW and I still miss cruising, but the earliest we contemplate returning is 2023.  So we just completed out first land vacation at an all inclusive resort.  WE LOVED IT!

 

I researched high-end all inclusive resorts in Mexico and settled on one a little south of Cancun.  DW and I were a bit nervous for a number of reasons.....

1. I've avoided Mexico for many years because I'm uncomfortable in places where corruption runs rampant - especially among law enforcement.
2. There have been a rash of cartel-related shootings in the area - including along the beaches at area resorts. Given these are cartel rivalries and haven't targeted tourists.
3. We've never been to an all inclusive resort.  I imagined it to be similar to a cruise albeit without port stops, but didn't really know what to expect.

It turned out to be 10 days of heaven!  I won't go into a full review here, but if you are considering all inclusive resorts as an alternative to cruising, I say DO  IT - but be sure to do your research.

 

Interesting.  Can/May you say which resort?  I've never been to an AI resort.  Our daughter and her family go do some down around Cabo.  Usually just a long weekend type trip for them.   

[mnocket]

6 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Interesting.  Can/May you say which resort?  I've never been to an AI resort.  Our daughter and her family go do some down around Cabo.  Usually just a long weekend type trip for them.   

Sure.  We stayed at the Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya

https://en.valentinmaya.com/

 

VERY nice place.  20 miles south of Cancun, so we basically spent all of our time at the resort.  There are two pools.  The main pool is larger with 2 swim up bars and is where the action (and noise) is.  For a quieter time look to the "lazy river" pool.  We had a swim up room right along the lazy river.  Poolside service for food and drink is quite good.  The ocean beach is also nice with a dedicated swimming area with life guards and no rocks.  Food and drink service extends to this area as well.  I forgot to mention it is an Adults Only resort so no kids, but ages ranged from college students to retirees.  Pricing has a similar range to cruise ships.

 

[Hlitner]

11 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Interesting.  Can/May you say which resort?  I've never been to an AI resort.  Our daughter and her family go do some down around Cabo.  Usually just a long weekend type trip for them.   

We will chime in an echo the excellent advice to do your research before booking an AI.  The quality and policies of each resort chain can be vastly different and it is not a one size fits all kind of thing (just like cruise ships).  Our personal favorite in the Cancun area is called "Excellence Puerto Morelos"  which is another higher end (5* +) resort.  What attracts us to the Excellence chain is that they do not require (or even have) reservations for the various restaurants.  While this can mean getting a beeper and having to wait at a bar (not a bad thing in an AI where all drinks are included) it means you can get into all the restaurants.  Many other chains have a reservations-only policy at their top dining venues and this can create huge problems including the inability to get into any of the better venues ("sorry but no available reservations").

 

Hank

[CPT Trips]

On 12/28/2021 at 8:45 PM, navybankerteacher said:

It may be wise to not get on a cruise ship next month -- but pandemics do die out.  Well into 2022, more likely 2023, and almost certainly 2024 will give us better times.  Hang in there.

Was it John Maynard Keynes? “In the long run we’ll all be dead.”

At the moment, I’ll avoid travel.

Edited December 31, 2021 by CPT Trips
Brain fade

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

Was it John Maynard Keynes? “In the long run we’ll all be dead.”

At the moment, I’ll avoid travel.

TICK TICK TICK....

[mnocket]

8 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We will chime in an echo the excellent advice to do your research before booking an AI.  The quality and policies of each resort chain can be vastly different and it is not a one size fits all kind of thing (just like cruise ships).  Our personal favorite in the Cancun area is called "Excellence Puerto Morelos"  which is another higher end (5* +) resort.  What attracts us to the Excellence chain is that they do not require (or even have) reservations for the various restaurants.  While this can mean getting a beeper and having to wait at a bar (not a bad thing in an AI where all drinks are included) it means you can get into all the restaurants.  Many other chains have a reservations-only policy at their top dining venues and this can create huge problems including the inability to get into any of the better venues ("sorry but no available reservations").

 

Hank

Hank

We also considered the Excellence.  It was pretty much a toss-up.  fyi the Valentin is now operating their restaurants like the Excellence - no reservations.

 

I planned on trying the Excellence next time, but we had such a great time at the Valentin my DW wants to return there.  I'm kinda thinking about next time doing 5 days at the Excellence followed by 5 days at the Valentin. What did you consider the stand out features of the Excellence? 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, mnocket said:

Hank

We also considered the Excellence.  It was pretty much a toss-up.  fyi the Valentin is now operating their restaurants like the Excellence - no reservations.

 

I planned on trying the Excellence next time, but we had such a great time at the Valentin my DW wants to return there.  I'm kinda thinking about next time doing 5 days at the Excellence followed by 5 days at the Valentin. What did you consider the stand out features of the Excellence? 

That is actually a tough question so like any smart husband I asked DW:).  She quickly mentioned "the grounds" which are always immaculate and well landscaped and the no-reservation policy.   We recently spent 4 nights at Sandals Grand Barbados and truly hated the place because of their absurd reservation policy (we could not get any reservations because we were only there for 4 nights), and the Butlers (for the Butler Suites) out and about by 5am saving all the best loungers for their charges.  At the Excellence we all had an even playing field.  Since the Excellence Club folks had their own designated areas which did not interfere for those outside of the Excellence Club.   Speaking of Sandals we thought the place was so bad we will never, ever, stay at any of their facilities again!   

 

Getting back to the Excellence is sounds like the Valentin operates in a similar manner.   Next time we go to the Cancun area we will take a good look at the Valentin and compare prices/amenities to the Excellence.  We are pretty adventurous and enjoy variety (trying different places and cruise lines).  As to the Excellence cuisine we thought it was typical of the better AIs which is to say pretty good but far from gourmet.   But these days we can spend a day at a decent AI (or on a cruise ship) for less money than a top gourmet restaurant :).  Even a mid priced steak house can easily cost over $250 a couple for decent steak and a mediocre bottle of wine.  

 

Hank