What will Japan and HAL do with the Westy

[CJcruzer]

Celebrity is brining  the Millennium back to North America and will be sailing some shorter west coast cruises, California, Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver.   They have cancelled their Asia sailings for the rest of this season.

 

Celebrity may also be starting the Alaska season with Millennium slightly earlier than originally planned.

 

Carol

 

 

Edited February 16, 2020 by CJcruzer

[zonacruiser25]

Starting to sound like Westy is joining DP with virus cases from Pax that have left ship.  Prayers for those still on the ship but it may be a while before she returns to sailing

 

[CJcruzer]

I doubt very much Japan wants another occurrence of the DP incident.  In addition, CCL via HAL do not want a repeat of DP predicament,    And it does not take much, one person testing positive for Covid-19, to cause a ship to be quarantined. 

 

HAL would be smart to get out of the region now.  Cut their losses, but avoid further controversy and problems.

 

Our April 11 sailing is r/t Yokohama with a Russian port,   Practically all the SE Asian ports are now closing their doors to cruise-ships, I believe Vietnam being the most recent.   

 

Carol

Edited February 16, 2020 by CJcruzer

[cashmeremypuppydog]

1 hour ago, gatour said:

These would be illegal.

I guess they could add a stop in Canada for N/E and N/E and a stop in Mexico for S/E and S/W.

 

i am just wanting new itineraries!

 

The Canadians!😎

[kazu]

28 minutes ago, CJcruzer said:

I doubt very much Japan wants another occurrence of the DP incident.  In addition, CCL via HAL do not want a repeat of DP predicament,    And it does not take much, one person testing positive for Covid-19, to cause a ship to be quarantined. 

 

HAL would be smart to get out of the region now.  Cut their losses, but avoid further controversy and problems.

 

Our April 11 sailing is r/t Yokohama with a Russian port,   Practically all the SE Asian ports are now closing their doors to cruise-ships, I believe Vietnam being the most recent.   

 

Carol

 

Bolding is mine.

 

I completely agree.

[eroller]

4 hours ago, cashmeremypuppydog said:

What about creating totally new different itineraries which will appeal to seasoned cruisers AS WELL AS everybody else.  Examples:

-East coast of USA with 2 nights at each port of calls: cute towns in Maine, Boston, Washington, Williamsburg...  How fun would it be to discover the East coast of USA without having to drive or take a tour?  HAL could do 14.days in N/E USA and another 14.days in S/E USA

.Africa:  I understand HAL will be stopping in Africa this fall but all the sea days are not at all appealing to us.  This is why we are looking at Azamara, Oceania or Norwegian for winter 2021 from Cape Town or from Dubai.

-West coast of USA with overnights in several cute places for a total of 14 days.  Could do B2B with 14 days N/W and 14 days S/W of USA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely the cruise lines could get creative, and some already have.  Such as doing something really good from a really bad situation.  That is what Royal Caribbean/Celebrity are doing with SPECTRUM OF THE SEAS and CELEBRITY MILLENNIUM.  The SPECTRUM will go to Australia and provide free cruises for first responders of the Australian fires.  The MILLENNIUM will head early to the US west coast and also provide free cruises for California's first responders (alongside paying passengers on some new itineraries).  

 

I think the smart cruise lines will figure out a way to turn this into a positive, either from a revenue standpoint or a PR standpoint, or both.  

[bennybear]

It seems like the writing is most definitely on the wall.   While I understand Hal is cautious in its approach to cancelling, they are leaving their future passengers very much in limbo.  Not knowing is so much harder than knowing.  They need to make a decision  so people can do what needs to be done.  It is just such a very unfortunate situation for all. 

 

Never sailed on Celebrity, but they have set a precedent and turned a bad situation into  some positive PR. 

 

I too think it is unlikely Japan will open its ports.  I hope I’m wrong and things improve for everyone.  

 

Cruisemom,  I hope you do get to do this awesome itinerary, if not this year then in the near future.  

[AncientWanderer]

Perhaps the cruises are being cancelled one at a time for simple cash-flow reasons -- money not refunded is money earning interest?  

In a crisis like this, probably everything is factored in.

So sad.  😢

[Taters]

28 minutes ago, AncientWanderer said:

Perhaps the cruises are being cancelled one at a time for simple cash-flow reasons -- money not refunded is money earning interest?  

In a crisis like this, probably everything is factored in.

So sad.  😢

Oh, I definitely think the bean counters are heavily influencing HAL's lack of decision making on Westerdam's Asia itineraries.  This puts people like me in a bind.  I'm not sure whether I have a long anticipated, much needed vacation away from work or not.

[Mike B Landlubber]

I think they are hoping delay will cause more people to accept the current offer of a credit for a future cruise rather than cash refund and presumably credit on a future cruise if HAL cancels. Good for the balance book, but not customer-friendly!

Edited February 16, 2020 by Mike B Landlubber

[Hlitner]

So, the situation seems to have deteriorated from bad to awful!  As of 3 hours ago, HAL has posted that the Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia, at a press conference, confirmed the positive COVID-19 test on an elderly Westy passenger who was taken to a Kuala Lumpur hospital while enroute home from the ship.  Other posts here on CC confirm that other enroute passengers were taken from the Phnom Penh Airport to local hotels where they are confined to their hotel rooms pending results of medical tests.  There are many other passengers already on other flights home that will need to  be contacted, tested, etc.  One wonders what will happen to these folks once they arrive at their destinations.....i.e. will they be quarantined?

 

This is certainly a huge mess for those folks not to mention a Public relations disaster for HAL and the entire cruise industry.  Meanwhile, HAL has over 700 crew and more then 200 passengers still on the Westy.  Those folks will obviously need to be quarantined at least another 14 days.  That would mean there is no way HAL could even consider their Feb 29 cruise and it is doubtful that Japan would allow the ship into any Japanese port in the near future.  We wonder what they will do.  Keep the ship in Cambodia for at least 2 more weeks?  Immediately reposition the vessel back to some port in North America?  We do not envy Mr Kruse and his staff trying to work through these issues and really feel bad for those still stuck on the ship.  As to those on their way home, we wish them all the best and pray that they all remain healthy.

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, bennybear said:

Cruisemom,  I hope you do get to do this awesome itinerary, if not this year then in the near future.  

 

I know I'll get there, either sooner or later. Up until this latest twist I would've still been hopeful for "sooner" but I am increasingly doubtful...

[kazu]

Just now, cruisemom42 said:

 

I know I'll get there, either sooner or later. Up until this latest twist I would've still been hopeful for "sooner" but I am increasingly doubtful...

 

I feel for you. ❤️  I hope you do get there 🤞

 

Sadly I am increasingly doubtful about our September cruise as well  😞 

[CJcruzer]

6 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I know I'll get there, either sooner or later. Up until this latest twist I would've still been hopeful for "sooner" but I am increasingly doubtful...

 

Cruisemom, I am also increasingly doubtful, and my enthusiasm has definitely waned to the point of being almost non-existent.   

 

Carol

[RuthC]

4 hours ago, cashmeremypuppydog said:

I guess they could add a stop in Canada for N/E and N/E and a stop in Mexico for S/E and S/W.

Those would need to be round trip cruises. This is NOT the season to be sailing NE/Canada, so that leaves the southern part of the east coast for now. Do you really believe such an itinerary, even with the required foreign port, can be established so quickly? I'm not even sure there are enough attractive east coast ports to necessitate a 14-day cruise. The Caribbean is well covered already. 

[dreamers25]

Just got an email and the Feb 29th cruise has been cancelled. 😢

[leerathje]

5 hours ago, cashmeremypuppydog said:

I guess they could add a stop in Canada for N/E and N/E and a stop in Mexico for S/E and S/W.

 

i am just wanting new itineraries!

 

The Canadians!😎

 

Stop in Canada?  lol...that's crazy talk!

 

L. (a Canadian as well)

 

[sail7seas]

On 2/13/2020 at 12:43 AM, Hlitner said:

We hear you.  Since our air is done via EZAIr, the cruise line will ticket it around 45 days prior to the cruise.  The only way we could stop that process would be to cancel the air.  It the cruise then would happen according to plan, we would need to purchase our air at a significantly higher cost.  Therein lies our dilemma,  We still have a few days before we reach the critical decision point and we will hope that HAL makes a decision prior to that date.

 

Hank

 

I came upon the end of a  news report and if I heard it correctly, at least one woman from Westerdam tested positive for virus and  more from Princess also did.  I am vague about that report as  I think  they said  the Westerdam  guest

who tested positive is in hospital in Malaysia..  not Cam bodia?  The Princess cruisers who left the ship are bein flown home on U.S. charter flights.  God bless  America for getting them back to U.S. soil.    they w ill be taken to a U.S.  military base and I would guess most are just fine with that.     As a solo traveler now, were  I to  be ill on one of  those ships, I would be so grateful fo r that 'ride home  courtesy of our gov't.'     I t likely will be a long wait for commercial air to begin flying back to U.S. airports from that part of the worldWhat other countries have sent charter planes to bring  stranded and/or ill citizens home to their country  for those who need the help?  I have listened for reports about that  but have not yet heard anything

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Hlitner]

5 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

 

I came upon the end of a  news report and if I heard it correctly, at least one woman from Westerdam tested positive for virus and  more from Princess also did.  I am vague about that report as  I think  they said  the Westerdam  guest

who tested positive is in hospital in Malaysia..  not Cam bodia?  The Princess cruisers who left the ship are bein flown home on U.S. charter flights.  God bless  America for getting them back to U.S. soil.    they w ill be taken to a U.S.  military base and I would guess most are just fine with that.     As a solo traveler now, were  I to  be ill on one of  those ships, I would be so grateful fo r that 'ride home  courtesy of our gov't.'     I t likely will be a long wait for commercial air to begin flying back to U.S. airports from that part of the worldWhat other countries have sent charter planes to bring  stranded and/or ill citizens home to their country  for those who need the help?  I have listened for reports about that  but have not yet heard anything

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, the 83 year old female passenger was flying through Kuala Lumpur on her way home from the Westy.  She felt ill at the airport and tested positive for the COVID-19 Virus.  Malaysia has also now banned any further Westy folks from their country.  More recently, HAL has announced that they have cancelled the Feb 29 cruise.   Other Westy passengers who managed to make it to Kuala Lumpur's airport were sent to local hotels where they are now quarantined pending the results of COVID-19 testing.  This is a true nightmare for all those folks and HAL.

 

Hank

[sail7seas]

2 hours ago, RuthC said:

Those would need to be round trip cruises. This is NOT the season to be sailing NE/Canada, so that leaves the southern part of the east coast for now. Do you really believe such an itinerary, even with the required foreign port, can be established so quickly? I'm not even sure there are enough attractive east coast ports to necessitate a 14-day cruise. The Caribbean is well covered already. 

Given  the 'extreme circumstance.  I'll float an  off the  wall suggestion that HAL negotiate with Bermuda  to schedule some Boston to Bermuda cruises such as were done  in recent years.

 

Bermuda could certainly benefit from a big windfall of cash.

 

Or course, there has to be availability for use of   Boston's Black Falcon(Flynn) cruise terminal.

 

 

[Frank5]

Hank,

 

I think you summarized the situation very well and the possible consequences for the passengers and crew on this HAL cruise whether they are still on the ship or whether they are in the process of trying to return home.

[SeaHunt]

44 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

The Princess cruisers who left the ship are bein flown home on U.S. charter flights.  God bless  America for getting them back to U.S. soil.  ... they w ill be taken to a U.S.  military base and I would guess most are just fine with that.     

 

Actually some Princess passengers are very angry about the quarantine at the military base:

 

"On February 18, the Japanese government plans to begin testing all those who remain on board for the virus. Results should be provided within three days. From February 21, staggered disembarkations would begin.

 

But American passengers who are evacuated will not be tested.

 

“From tragedy to comedy to farce,” tweeted American passenger Matthew Smith, pulling no punches. “The US government instead wants to take us off without testing, fly us back to the US with a bunch of other untested people, and then stick us in 2 more weeks of quarantine? How does that make any sense at all?”

 

Those who decide not to board the flight will still have to spend two weeks in Japan before being able to head home.

 

For Karey Mansicalco, who owns a real estate company in Utah, the news yanked freedom from her hands at the 11th hour.

 

“It’s like a prison sentence for something I did not do,” she told CNN from her cabin. “They are holding us hostage for absolutely no reason.”

 

Mansicalco said another two weeks away from home would cost her upwards of $50,000. “It is financially devastating as well as emotionally devastating. I was in tears when I got the news and … I did not have the words to explain how I felt. And now I just feel angry,” she said".

 

https://abc17news.com/news/national-world/2020/02/16/the-us-is-finally-evacuating-americans-from-the-diamond-princess-heres-why-thats-made-them-mad/

[sail7seas]

No one HAD to go home on the charter.  Let them stay in Cambodia-  Japan    under what ever terms those authorities  set.  Any  ungrateful wretch is free to take care of themselves in whatever ways is possible with ok from Cambodia and no commercial flights for flights back to U.S.  for who knows how long.

Embassies are closing for protection of  staff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can please  some of the people, some of the time and rarely please all at the same time.  Iwould  have cried with relief  to board the charter.  Ms.  prima donna's cruise and  trip home would not  have gotten her home  much faster as originally panned.

 

Has her 'royalness' given a brief  thought   to  the reason for quarantine?  Or doesn't

 care if she passes  viral droplets all around her community and  won't be bothered who or how  many may become ill because of her selfishness  or  may die?

 

 

Groan

Edited February 16, 2020 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

She could have said 'thanks' but no thanks and then fended for  herself.

[sail7seas]

J

29 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

She could have said 'thanks' but no thanks and then fended for  herself.

 

JMO