What is being done about coronavirus.....

[flossie009]

9 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

Regent took the high road with Asian cruises.

IMO, port closures and booking cancellations left Regent with no alternative but to pull out of Asia when it did.

I also suspect that with the growing hysteria in the media & social media at the time NCLH management decided that they did not want any of NCLH’s ships caught up in the media hype; FdR's reported comments, including those about traveller "panic" indicate the drivers behind the decisions.

 

9 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

Once again, Regent is doing the right thing.  I obviously had no doubts.

 

6 hours ago, BarbarianPaul said:

Kudos to Regent for stepping up. I hope the other cruise lines do as well.

Before Regent's announcement other cruise-lines had already implemented very similar options for guests to cancel.

Both Crystal and Seabourn have their new policies advertised on their websites.

 

 

 

This post is not designed to belittle what Regent is doing for its customers, but IMO it is wrong to argue that it is doing significantly more than other cruise-lines, or that the company is ahead of the field.

Regent, along with all the other cruise-lines and the rest of the travel industry, is reacting to daily events and also to what its competitors are doing.

I acknowledge that it is very difficult for them to be pro-active with the ever evolving situation around the world. However, I do feel that Regent is lagging behind its competitors in its communications, particularly via its website

 

[flossie009]

9 hours ago, mrlevin said:

Received email and have already cancelled 3 April Explorer transatlantic

Shows how fast things are developing. Am I correct that you only booked that cruise within the last fortnight?

[mdunne48]

What about cruises departing prior to April 3rd?  What latitude is Regent providing those customers?

[mdunne48]

A cruise ship is being held off the California coast after a former passenger died from coronavirus

From CNN's Faith Karimi and Steve Almasy

A cruise ship passenger from California died from the coronavirus on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after he returned home.

Now, the Grand Princess cruise ship he was on is being held off the California coast, so federal health officials can screen passengers and crew members.

The unidentified California patient was 71 years old and had underlying health conditions, Placer County health officials said. He was likely exposed to the virus on a cruise from San Francisco to Mexico between February 11-21.

The cruise ship's route: After the Grand Princess finished its Mexico trip, it went on another cruise to Hawaii and is now on its way back.

There are 62 passengers on the ship who sailed the previous San Francisco-Mexico voyage and remained onboard for the Hawaii one.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency and said local health officials are working with their federal counterparts to trace people who'd had contact with the patient.

[mrlevin]

1 hour ago, flossie009 said:

Shows how fast things are developing. Am I correct that you only booked that cruise within the last fortnight?

 

Susan, we booked this on 24 January, far before the Diamond Princess was put into quarantine.

 

Marc

[kjbacon]

20 minutes ago, mdunne48 said:

A cruise ship is being held off the California coast after a former passenger died from coronavirus

From CNN's Faith Karimi and Steve Almasy

A cruise ship passenger from California died from the coronavirus on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after he returned home.

Now, the Grand Princess cruise ship he was on is being held off the California coast, so federal health officials can screen passengers and crew members.

The unidentified California patient was 71 years old and had underlying health conditions, Placer County health officials said. He was likely exposed to the virus on a cruise from San Francisco to Mexico between February 11-21.

The cruise ship's route: After the Grand Princess finished its Mexico trip, it went on another cruise to Hawaii and is now on its way back.

There are 62 passengers on the ship who sailed the previous San Francisco-Mexico voyage and remained onboard for the Hawaii one.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency and said local health officials are working with their federal counterparts to trace people who'd had contact with the patient.

I started a new thread this morning about this update. My thinking was that this thread has so many subsets already that it might make sense to have a separate one. Just a thought!

[liptastic]

I haven’t heard anything either from Regent or our TA. Friends down south also have not heard anything as yet. Jean.

[charltonkerry]

Nor have we heard anything from our normally very good travel agent in the UK, wondering how we are affected as prior to  sailing we are catching the Orient Express from London to Venice (booked via Regent as part of the cruise package), then a night in Venice followed by a 9 day cruise to Rome, wondering If the orient express section will be covered by the new cancellation policy? Wife is upset as she is getting a gown hand made for the train, mine you I just remembered I brought a new dinner suit as well.

[mrlevin]

The email from Regent to my TA had a timestamp of 6:18pm (could be CST or EST).  She is very responsive and immediately forwarded to me.  We actually have until today to cancel and she is contacting all of her clients on this cruise.  

 

I know many people talk about having a great TA but the one thing Jackie and I have in common is the same great TA.

 

Marc

[sierrafloridacruiser]

13 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

The email from Regent to my TA had a timestamp of 6:18pm (could be CST or EST).  She is very responsive and immediately forwarded to me.  We actually have until today to cancel and she is contacting all of her clients on this cruise.  

 

I know many people talk about having a great TA but the one thing Jackie and I have in common is the same great TA.

 

Marc

When is your cruise that you have until today to cancel?  
 

 

[mrlevin]

7 minutes ago, sierrafloridacruiser said:

When is your cruise that you have until today to cancel?  
 

 

 

3 April Explorer transatlantic - the email I pasted above says 30 days prior and mentions 3 April as first date eligible.

 

Marc

[sierrafloridacruiser]

1 minute ago, mrlevin said:

 

3 April Explorer transatlantic - the email I pasted above says 30 days prior and mentions 3 April as first date eligible.

 

Marc

Ok yes, this is ours too, and I’m assuming Regent will honor today for this cruise, even though technically the 30 day mark was yesterday. I’ve emailed my travel agent about setting up a phone call later today to walk through our various options. I have spoken to the other couples on our Danube cruise and we are all in agreement that the trip is off, now have to sift through our options and decide the best choices. So bummed!!!

[liptastic]

59 minutes ago, charltonkerry said:

Nor have we heard anything from our normally very good travel agent in the UK, wondering how we are affected as prior to  sailing we are catching the Orient Express from London to Venice (booked via Regent as part of the cruise package), then a night in Venice followed by a 9 day cruise to Rome, wondering If the orient express section will be covered by the new cancellation policy? Wife is upset as she is getting a gown hand made for the train, mine you I just remembered I brought a new dinner suit as well.

I am sure under our ATOL protection and package booking with Regent you will be covered? I know that Susan( Flossie) might have a better idea but I think thats the case? Thats a lovely cruise and holiday you have booked.  Its all so sad for everyone involved in this situation. Our cruise is a TA, from New York on Splendour. We had booked this in 2018 as a special cruise for my retirement, so we just have to look at the big unfolding picture as we all do and decide what is best.  If I hear anything from our TA i will certainly post here.  Jean.

[flossie009]

@liptastic,

This advice from ABTA may be of use to you, or others in the UK, who have booked a "package" from Regent UK - either direct or through a TA: 

https://www.abta.com/news/coronavirus-outbreak 

(Regent UK is a member of ABTA)

 

FCO advice regarding travel to Italy may be found here: 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy 

Note that the FCO is only advising against all but essential travel to 10 towns in the north.

 

In the first instance you should discuss your options with your TA and/or Regent. It is unlikely that Regent will make any changes to your trip until nearer the time, if at all. 

Edited March 5, 2020 by flossie009

[liptastic]

Thanks Susan I had an idea you would have insight into this. Yes I will go and see our TA  tomorrow. Jean.

[wristband]

Key words in today's notice: "new bookings."  We can cancel a current booking and apply that fare - no cash refunds - to a "new booking"...but does this mean if you have another booking on a second future Regent cruise you can apply the paid fare for a canx cruise in April 2020 to, say, a second cruise booked with a deposit paid for 2021?

 

The second cruise is not a "new booking" but it is within the time frame in today's  notice.

 

I am sure TAs are having a tough getting through to Regent.  Understandable with so much uncertainty and questions about today's policy notice.

[BarbarianPaul]

4 hours ago, flossie009 said:

IMO, port closures and booking cancellations left Regent with no alternative but to pull out of Asia when it did.

I also suspect that with the growing hysteria in the media & social media at the time NCLH management decided that they did not want any of NCLH’s ships caught up in the media hype; FdR's reported comments, including those about traveller "panic" indicate the drivers behind the decisions.

 

 

Before Regent's announcement other cruise-lines had already implemented very similar options for guests to cancel.

Both Crystal and Seabourn have their new policies advertised on their websites.

 

 

 

This post is not designed to belittle what Regent is doing for its customers, but IMO it is wrong to argue that it is doing significantly more than other cruise-lines, or that the company is ahead of the field.

Regent, along with all the other cruise-lines and the rest of the travel industry, is reacting to daily events and also to what its competitors are doing.

I acknowledge that it is very difficult for them to be pro-active with the ever evolving situation around the world. However, I do feel that Regent is lagging behind its competitors in its communications, particularly via its website

 

Of course you have a valid point. It’s pretty clear that Regent is playing catch up here, and was no doubt pushed into adopting this policy. That said, it’s still a positive move, so, I guess, why “kick a gift horse in the mouth?”

 

I’m a little puzzled by the thirty day time frame. The situation is changing so fluidly and rapidly, with somewhat disturbing cruise ship news popping up frequently. I’m not sure I’d feel completely “reassured” having to make a travel decision even thirty days in advance, especially considering the current Princess situation. The Viking policy is superior.
 

But again, Regent acted, and that’s good. I hope every cruise line follows suit.

[Fletcher]

Does anyone know what's happening with the Voyager right now?  It was very briefly in Colombo, Sri Lanka, today and is now sailing towards Arabia.  I wonder if it picked up any passengers in Colombo . . . 

[Pcardad]

No passengers...next stop UAE. Arrives 3/12

[kaleighsgram]

Still curious about what is being offered to people sailing before  April 3.

 

[Sidona]

6 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

No passengers...next stop UAE. Arrives 3/12

 

[Emdee]

Just sent a note to our TA cancelling our April 3rd cruise. 

 

[UUNetBill]

Funny how people approach things differently...we actually just booked a cruise sailing May 28th.  To Italy.  I'm hopeful that things will be normalizing a bit by then...

 

Carpe the freakin' diem, man.   🙂

[Pcardad]

Yep - we booking too! 

[Emdee]

52 minutes ago, UUNetBill said:

Funny how people approach things differently...we actually just booked a cruise sailing May 28th.  To Italy.  I'm hopeful that things will be normalizing a bit by then...

 

Carpe the freakin' diem, man.   🙂

We already have a European trip and cruise booked for August. Just returned from two weeks on Seabourn so taking a break from travelling seemed sensible. If things quieten down we may book something for May or June.