Rome embarkation

[scottraveller]

I’m booked onto Explorer from Rome in July. However, I guess no one other than RCI can answer this but will they change the embarkation point or cancel the cruise. I have some time left before I have to pay the balance but I’ve also booked and paid my airfare from the uk to Rome. Since they are not allowing anyone to board at present who have been in Italy for 15 days prior how is the situation going to work.  Do they think the virus issue will be done and dusted by then? Jewel of the Seas is due to dock in Naples on 7th April and Civitavecchia on 8th so obviously what happens to this ship must have a bearing I would think.  If they are going to dock elsewhere then surely this would have to be arranged well in advance, certainly before Jewel sails from Dubai on 23rd March. My best guess is they will hang off doing anything until the very last minute but who knows?

[xxHadleyxx]

Yeah, I have to imagine that they're waiting to make a decision.  For all anyone knows month from now it could be Florida and Barcelona with lots of cases and Italy already past the worst of it (recalling tht we are only 2 and a half months from the first appearance of COVID-19 at all).  It's admittedly frustrating trying to plan for all probable eventualities right now, but with this sort of unprecedented situation everyone who travels or works in the industry is stuck with similar frustrations.

I would guess that by July either it will be non issue because the disease is petering out, or sailing from Civi will be a non issue because the virus is everywhere and singling out only a handful of locations not to visit will no longer make sense.

[kernow]

Judging by what they have been doing so far they will wait to the very last minute. The April cruises from Singapore on Quantum have still not been cancelled and I think we all know they will very likely not go ahead so who knows what will happen with Italy.

[scottraveller]

You could be right but I think I’d rather be at home than being ill or even quarantined on a small island or the ship. To be honest I don’t want to go on holiday having to look over my shoulder all the time and not be at ease. What’s the point then. I suspect many people will be feeling the same way. The cruise industry could suffer really badly from this. Wait and watch I guess. 

[jennyumaa]

4 hours ago, xxHadleyxx said:

I would guess that by July either it will be non issue because the disease is petering out, or sailing from Civi will be a non issue because the virus is everywhere and singling out only a handful of locations not to visit will no longer make sense.

 

I completely agree with you. As of now Shanghai seems to be safer than Civi, even though the former is cancelled but not the latter. Soon, Civi may be safer than Seattle or New York. With only limited testing going on in some countries (e.g., the U.S.), we may see different pictures every week.