News on the Westerdam

[sndral]

5 hours ago, gentlemancruiser said:

NCL has cancelled all asia trips until December.  Norwegian Spirit from April to December. 

Not exactly, NCL decided to not send the Spirit to Asia post dry dock from Europe, the Jade, however, is still in Asia & her cruises have not been canceled. Jade ported in Hong Kong just over a week ago.

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, dreamers25 said:

We are booked on the Feb 29th Cruise as well. We are so torn, we still want to go but the sensible thing is to cancel due to the risks involved. At the end of  the day over 30,000 cases with over 700 deaths and less than 2000 full recoveries does not paint a good picture. Like has been mentioned on here before it is only a matter of time before someone is diagnosed on this or our cruise. Do we want to risk that. I think Not. Just wish that HAL would offer a full refund for the cruise, a future credit is no good to us as we already have another cruise booked and nearly paid for later in the year. Yes we have travel insurance but we still have the excess to pay for. We have already claimed some money for our rescheduled fees which we had to pay the excess for, if we make another claim we would have another excess to pay this is in addition to the other out of pocket expenses that we have paid including visas etc. 

 

The other thing  is the amount of people dropping off the cruise. The ship will be nearly empty.  Lots have and will be dropping out, are they going to offer a flash sale on the cabins for locals...hardly seems fair when we paid close to listed price.

 

I know this is not all HALS fault but just wish that they would be a little more forthcoming with information. 

 

I don't see how they can run a flash sale for locals when most of the local ports aren't letting ships call there. And if the virus spreads beyond China more than it has, more Asian countries could be on the "no sail" list. 

 

[Stateroom_Sailor]

36 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I don't see how they can run a flash sale for locals when most of the local ports aren't letting ships call there. And if the virus spreads beyond China more than it has, more Asian countries could be on the "no sail" list. 

 

 

We're booked on the April Transpacific back to Vancouver.  If ports continue to close off, I expect Westerdam to return early. 

[mcrcruiser]

Personally ,I will not book any cruises going into Asia regardless of the country  until this corona virus is controlled by  medicines& wiped out 

[Betty in Cozumel]

7 hours ago, Mike B Landlubber said:

I do feel some envy for those like Betty in Cozumel who are going. Could be a great cruise, and I got an inexpensive upgrade offer for a Neptune Suite on corner stern that I’ll never be able to afford on a normal cruise! But that’s not guaranteed, and the stress and uncertainty I mentioned is

 

I had just asked my TA recently if we could get an upgrade out of our Inside cabin and was told that HAL said "no".  We sailed this same cruise last year and when the price dropped significantly 2 months before sailing, HAL upgrade us from a Guaranteed Inside to a Balcony cabin plus we got $100 beverage card each and a dinner in the Pinnacle Grill.  I was kind of hoping for the same thing.  If I'm going to be stuck on a ship, I'd rather do it in a balcony cabin.  If everyone keeps cancelling then maybe they'll reconsider.

 

HAL's official e-mail said "We understand this may not be the cruise vacation you anticipated, and some guests may prefer not to travel at this time. Should you choose to defer your travel and cancel your cruise you will receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit (excluding independent travel expenses) that can be used on a replacement cruise that sails within 12 months."     Someone had something about getting a full refund + a 50% FCC.  I think that was for the Feb 15th sailing.   That I might consider.

 

Right now it is a wait and see.

Edited February 9, 2020 by Betty in Cozumel

[23570846]

Just checked with the location of this ship.  The last call of the port is KHH Taiwan in Feb. 4 and even left early at 3 PM.  As Taiwan government refused any call of the cruise ship from oversea countries since Feb. 5 and this ship also have no permit to Japan and Korea.  Therefore, the most possible of the ports to disembark should be SIN Singapore or other ports in the south Asia. The problem is the disembark port need to spend a lot of the effort if the same situation happened as the Diamond Princess in Japan.  

 

If you are not in this area, please aware of the sincerely problems in this area.  The countries outside China have their problems to stop the spread of this disease.  The authorities just not trust anything and everyone scare each others.  The chance of this ship cancelled all of the schedule till June is high.  And it could directly sail back Vancouver after the Feb. 14 after the necessary procedure to clean this ship. 

 

Since Vancouver is also my another home and plan to take this ship go home, it is very sad to see the Westerdam stuck in the Asia.  Wish have more good news. 

Edited February 9, 2020 by 23570846

[trav25]

No news today from HAL or our friends on the ship. 

[Viv0828]

from USA Today. True or not. I don't know.

 

Holland America's MS Westerdam cruise ship is one step closer to disembarkation this week.

"We can confirm that we have received preliminary approval for a port of disembarkation next week," the cruise line confirmed in a statement provided by Erik Elvejord, its director of public relations, though it did not name the location. 

However, before we receive final confirmation, we are required to do a complete passport review of all guests and crew in order to ensure that no one has traveled in mainland China in the past 14 days," it continued. "We know that our guests are anxious for a port confirmation, as are we."

The Westerdam, which has 1,455 guests and 802 crew members, made a stop in Hong Kong last week. It was subsequently was denied entry to ports in Guam, the Philippines and Japan. 

Holland America said the ship was sailing on a southwesterly course in the South China Sea. According to the ship-tracking website VesselFinder.com, it is currently off the west coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines as of Saturday evening.

The ship has enough fuel to last until the end of the voyage, which was supposed to end Feb. 15

There are no known cases of coronavirus on board despite reports to the contrary, the cruise line said, and the MS Westerdam is not in quarantine. 

"We have no reason to believe there are cases of coronavirus on board," Elvejord said in an email Friday morning.

 

 

Edited February 9, 2020 by Viv0828

[rafinmd]

4 minutes ago, Viv0828 said:

However, before we receive final confirmation, we are required to do a complete passport review of all guests and crew in order to ensure that no one has traveled in mainland China in the past 14 days," it continued. "We know that our guests are anxious for a port confirmation, as are we."

Do we know how likely the ship is to meet that test?  Could one person with the wrong travel dossier unravel the whole thing?  I hope not.

 

Roy

[Mike B Landlubber]

43 minutes ago, Betty in Cozumel said:

 

I had just asked my TA recently if we could get an upgrade out of our Inside cabin and was told that HAL said "no". 

I booked the lowest grade of verandah cabin direct with HAL, and about two weeks ago I received an email offering an upgrade to a Neptune Suite for about $1300 based on two people, and a lesser grade of suite for a lower cost. I found a corner stern Neptune Suite for the $1300, and came within a hairbreadth of booking it. Then the news and some research that evening made me decide to cancel! I received a similar email with a slightly lower price a few days ago. Maybe HAL offers these deals to people who book with them as an incentive? In any case, I’ll bet you have a good chance to upgrade before or when you check in! Have a safe and enjoyable cruise!!!!

Edited February 9, 2020 by Mike B Landlubber

[Laminator]

Westerdam Update:
We can confirm that we have received conditional preliminary clearance for Westerdam guest disembarkation from two different ports.

We are currently working through all the various required logistical support in both ports to determine the best course of action for our guests. Our decision point from a navigational perspective is Feb. 9 at midnight PST; (Monday 4:00 p.m. on the ship).

All are safe and well cared for. We are providing free internet and phone access for both guests and crew to stay in contact with their loved ones. Guests have been provided a full refund and a future cruise credit.

Despite media reports, we have no reason to believe there are any cases of coronavirus on board.

We have also received a letter from the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment affirming that they have full confidence in all our medical reporting and the quality of our medical staff and services on Westerdam. This assessment was done in concert with the Ministry of Health of the Netherlands and was another important substantiation for our disembarkation clearance.

We sincerely appreciate their continued patience and cooperation as we manage through these extraordinary circumstances.

[ShipsAreTheBest]

31 minutes ago, Laminator said:

We have also received a letter from the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment affirming that they have full confidence in all our medical reporting and the quality of our medical staff and services on Westerdam. This assessment was done in concert with the Ministry of Health of the Netherlands and was another important substantiation for our disembarkation clearance.

This paragraph says a lot to me.  It implies, IMHO, that the fact that the ship (as all HAL ships are) is flagged in The Netherlands means that the Dutch authorities got involved and played a role in getting some movement here.  Not sure if they would have gotten involved if the ship was flagged somewhere else (“flag of convenience”) or if it were flagged somewhere else whether that country of registry would have gotten involved or inspired confidence to the authorities in the proposed ports.  HAL is one of the very few (if not only) mainstream lines that flags their ships in a nation that has some gravitas in the world when it comes to things such as safety, health, etc. 

 

(For the record, and to be fair, Diamond Princess is registered in the UK (London) rather than Bermuda as most other Princess ships are.  Princess hasn’t given any indication of whether the UK authorities have been involved in their situation).

Edited February 9, 2020 by ShipsAreTheBest

[Vict0riann]

I just heard from our friends, SailingDutchy, on the Westerdam.  They are well, no one is ill on the ship and they are nearing their 14 day time to be clear.  Just waiting for the decision as to where they will be able to debark, as the next segment has been canceled.

 

"Thank goodness for the great staff, fabulous food and free alcohol."  Plus they have been given free internet to contact family and friends.  And Martha attached a map of where they are.

 

 

.

[Vict0riann]

And I should have said - the map shows where they have been since they left HK, too.

[MAVIP]

4 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

Thank goodness for the great staff, fabulous food and free alcohol."

I understood from a message of dutch passengers on board the Westerdam that the greatest risk is: Korsakov. 

[kazu]

Update from Stephen Hansen who is on the ship and interviewed by CBC live.

 

2 ports have potentially agreed to take Westerdam provided the passport check passed.  Passport check has been done and everyone on the ship has passed.

 

The captain should be announcing the port where they will potentially be disembarking tomorrow.

 

However, right now, passengers don’t know if they will have to be quarantined or not.  

 

 

[1ANGELCAT]

8 hours ago, Vict0riann said:

I just heard from our friends, SailingDutchy, on the Westerdam.  They are well, no one is ill on the ship and they are nearing their 14 day time to be clear.  Just waiting for the decision as to where they will be able to debark, as the next segment has been canceled.

 

"Thank goodness for the great staff, fabulous food and free alcohol."  Plus they have been given free internet to contact family and friends.  And Martha attached a map of where they are.

 

 

.

That’s great news Ann. 

[bobnatt]

This is a situation that is truly an act of god and the cruise lines should be more concerned about their reputation rather then their internal rules or next quarters earning report.  This is what should be done for this on the cruise now: 1. Full refund (not credit) 2. FCC credit for the same level cabin for any cruise in the next two or three years 3. Full payment for the air fares and hotels  and 4. an inconvenience fee for an amount which I would peg as $10,000. They shouldn't worry about precedent as this is a once in a lifetime situation.

[Level six]

I was supposed to be on the FEB 1 cruise, but saw all of these problems happening the week before.  I cancelled and lost my money.  Do I deserve the same?  

[*Miss G*]

1 minute ago, Level six said:

I was supposed to be on the FEB 1 cruise, but saw all of these problems happening the week before.  I cancelled and lost my money.  Do I deserve the same?  

 

I think your inconvenience fee should be increased by a factor of 10.  😜

Edited February 9, 2020 by *Miss G*

[MadManOfBethesda]

16 minutes ago, bobnatt said:

This is a situation that is truly an act of god and the cruise lines should be more concerned about their reputation rather then their internal rules or next quarters earning report.  This is what should be done for this on the cruise now: 1. Full refund (not credit) 2. FCC credit for the same level cabin for any cruise in the next two or three years 3. Full payment for the air fares and hotels  and 4. an inconvenience fee for an amount which I would peg as $10,000. They shouldn't worry about precedent as this is a once in a lifetime situation.

So HAL should refund everyone's money, give them a free future cruise, pay for their airfare, pay for their hotels, PLUS give them an additional $10,000?  All for (in your words) "an act of god"? Why are you punishing HAL for an act of God? It sounds to me like God should be responsible for giving everyone $10,000 plus a free cruise, not HAL.  

[Earthworm Jim]

12 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

Personally ,I will not book any cruises going into Asia regardless of the country  until this corona virus is controlled by  medicines& wiped out 

 

That may never entirely happen, according to an article I read:

 

According to public-health experts, there are only three possible endings to this coronavirus story: The outbreak could be controlled via public-health interventions and disappear (as SARS did), a vaccine could be developed, or the coronavirus could become a permanent part of the repertoire of human viruses, perhaps like the seasonal flu.

That third option is the most likely, two experts told Business Insider — the new virus may never truly disappear.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-coronavirus-mild-pandemic-how-it-could-end-2020-2

[cruiseing marly]

28 minutes ago, bobnatt said:

This is a situation that is truly an act of god and the cruise lines should be more concerned about their reputation rather then their internal rules or next quarters earning report.  This is what should be done for this on the cruise now: 1. Full refund (not credit) 2. FCC credit for the same level cabin for any cruise in the next two or three years 3. Full payment for the air fares and hotels  and 4. an inconvenience fee for an amount which I would peg as $10,000. They shouldn't worry about precedent as this is a once in a lifetime situation.

I thought HAL gave a fair compensation. I quite sure a lot of people would have been really mad if they decided not to let them board in Hong Kong . They would have had to remove the 600 that were to stay on board.  There was no answer that would pleased all their patrons. I would not have been happy with the outcome of our trip but blaming them is just wrong !!!!

[bobnatt]

29 minutes ago, Level six said:

I was supposed to be on the FEB 1 cruise, but saw all of these problems happening the week before.  I cancelled and lost my money.  Do I deserve the same?  

Since you knew you would lose all your money you should not have cancelled...you should just have not shown up.  Maybe the cruise line would have made a decision to refund there money.

[Level six]

2 minutes ago, bobnatt said:

Since you knew you would lose all your money you should not have cancelled...you should just have not shown up.  Maybe the cruise line would have made a decision to refund there money.

So Actually, I did just not show up.  I say cancel, but I was a no show

Edited February 9, 2020 by Level six