Hong Kong chaos. Advise needed !

[CruiseKeeper]

We are due to fly out of EWR on 9/1 for our 9/3 Voyager cruise to Vietnam. The cruise originates in Hong Kong and ends in Singapore.  We have RCI Air to Sea flights booked.  Hong Kong airport is closed today for the second day in a row due to the chaos at the airport and in Hong Kong.  The police are using tear gas and rubber bullets.  Thousands of protesters are using luggage carts to block the check in and security area.  There has been some violence reported.

 

We have a small amount of travel insurance to cover trip cancellation. We do not have cancel for any reason coverage.  Our flights are not refundable and we have learned even if the airport closes, all we have from RCI is a "guarantee" that they will try their best to get us to the first port of call in Vietnam.  (Note this well to those thinking of booking Air to Sea)  We will not have visas for Vietnam until we depart Hong Kong on the ship as they are ship supplied.   We will not be legal to enter Vietnam without visas issued on the ship as we sail from Hong Kong. 

 

So many things to worry about and so many scenarios for each step along the way that we cannot predict.

 

Royal is just saying wait and see.  Wait and see what, I don't know.  That's what is keeping me awake at night. 

 

What we are thinking we would like now and don't know our chances is Royal giving us the option to skip this cruise and issue us vouchers for our cruise.  They just skipped the port stop in San Juan because of protests.   We could ask, right?  Do you think RCI could cancel?  What do you think would be the best department or person to speak to at Royal would be? 

 

We booked direct with RCI.  People on our roll call (mainly folks from UK and Australia) seem more interested in formal nights and excursions than the reality that this chaos is happening.  

 

Anyway, finally, to all of you.  Do you have advise, any experience with these type issues to add?   Thanks! 

 

 

 

 

[kernow]

Sorry, no advice at all but we have been watching the news closely too as we are due to do a similar cruise on Quantum in reverse next Feb. 

 

I can understand your worry but I can also understand Royal saying just wait and see as the situation seems to be ever changing. Personally I don't think it's far from China stepping in with force and who knows what will happen them.

 

If the cruise originates in Hong Kong surely nearly all the passengers will be flying in and unable to use the airport too so everyone will be in the same situation and Royal will have to do something. What they will do remains to be seen but I'm sure they are thinking about their options.

[Cruiser_1977]

I would also be concerned as the protests there have already lasted over a month. I don't think the government/police will allow the continued shut down of the airport much longer. However, I don't think RCCL is going to cancel the cruise. Not everyone has to fly in. Have you tried to change the flight to another airport and take a train to the port? Did a quick search...do you leave from port of hong kong? If so, there are a buses/trains from Shenzhen or Guangzhou airports. just an idea...trying to help...I wouldn't panic or make any changes until you're 7 days out.

Edited August 13, 2019 by JennyB1977

[CruiseKeeper]

3 minutes ago, JennyB1977 said:

I would also be concerned as the protests there have already lasted over a month. I don't think the government/police will allow the continued shut down of the airport much longer. However, I don't think RCCL is going to cancel the cruise. Not everyone has to fly in. Have you tried to change the flight to another airport and take a train to the port? 

 

Thanks, that never occurred to me.  Our flights are not refundable though as we did try to change them months ago to allow more time in Hong Kong and we were told by Air to Sea we couldn't change them.  

[blackshirt]

18 minutes ago, CruiseKeeper said:

Royal is just saying wait and see.  Wait and see what, I don't know.  That's what is keeping me awake at night.

Other than changing your flight arrangements, that is really all you can do. It is unlikely this will go on for 3 weeks. 

[Biker19]

18 minutes ago, CruiseKeeper said:

  Do you have advise, any experience with these type issues to add?   

You may want to adopt the attitude of some in the roll call. The port itself doesn't seem affected by the protests so RCI may proceed normally with this sailing. As for getting to the ship, some have been able to fly to Macau and ferry over, while the HK airport is closed.

[Joseph2017China]

Wait and See is the best you can do.  In San Juan, this happened, and then it ended.  You still have a few weeks to go, and RCCL is most likely looking at contingency plans but they won't initiate them unless needed.

[CruiseKeeper]

2 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

You may want to adopt the attitude of some in the roll call. The port itself doesn't seem affected by the protests so RCI may proceed normally with this sailing. As for getting to the ship, some have been able to fly to Macau and ferry over, while the HK airport is closed.

 

15 minutes ago, JennyB1977 said:

I would also be concerned as the protests there have already lasted over a month. I don't think the government/police will allow the continued shut down of the airport much longer. However, I don't think RCCL is going to cancel the cruise. Not everyone has to fly in. Have you tried to change the flight to another airport and take a train to the port? Did a quick search...do you leave from port of hong kong? If so, there are a buses/trains from Shenzhen or Guangzhou airports. just an idea...trying to help...

 

Thanks, I'll be researching those two other airports to see if Singapore Air can get us in there.  We could divert while en route to Hong Kong to the other two airports and if we did, that would be the best solution as far as the visas are concerned.   We did purchase travel vouchers from Air to Sea and hope we could rely on that should a diversion be necessary.  

[CruiseKeeper]

10 minutes ago, blackshirt said:

Other than changing your flight arrangements, that is really all you can do. It is unlikely this will go on for 3 weeks. 

 

Your screen name . . .LOL and not helpful to this.   I've read advise to not wear black if we do get to fly into HKG so we don't take on the appearance of a protester.  I don't know, it's been going on for a month, three more weeks doesn't feel like a stretch.  

[blackshirt]

Just now, CruiseKeeper said:

 

Your screen name . . .LOL and not helpful to this.   I've read advise to not wear black if we do get to fly into HKG so we don't take on the appearance of a protester.  I don't know, it's been going on for a month, three more weeks doesn't feel like a stretch.  

What I meant is airport closed. I can’t see that lasting long. The protests maybe.

[kernow]

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/4334/

 

I don't know if you have already seen this article but it mentions disruptions to the Hong Kong- Macau ferry terminal and the MTR so it may not be so easy to travel around from other airports either.