Princess Suspending Operations for 60 Days

[iancal]

The issue with NOT cancelling cruises coUld be pure P&L.

 

  If cruisers are cancelling cruises inside this window many cruises might not even cover their variable costs, let alone any fixed component.  It could be that mothballing the ships up for two months will result in less of a loss than they would otherwise incur by operating those cruises.

[AncientWanderer]

Right thing to do.  All cruise lines need to do this.  They can't be like the Pied Piper offering deals and OBC to encourage people to spread a disease around in an international health crisis.

I very much look forward to cruising again once we all get through this together.

[JeremyTexas]

4 minutes ago, ozzie0075 said:

They are most likely counting on a bailout from the federal government and hoping people take the increased FCC. 

I would not count on a bailout.  I am not sure how much of an appetite their is in Washington to bailout cruise lines that don't have any US flagged ships.  Washington is talking about "small business" support, which would be the travel agents.  

[JeffElizabeth]

I do wonder when this will finish up, in three months, or a year? I know I won't stay cooped up that long. In fact I just got back from a Canal cruise on the Rotterdam and will be visiting both Las Vegas and Phoenix next week. 

[JeffElizabeth]

Luckily money is cheap right now, I think the cruise lines will have to take on more debt or get bought out by bigger companies.  Carnival stock is a bargain in someone's eyes right now. 

[Tampa Girl]

ABC has just reported that Princess Cruise line is suspending, globally, all their cruises beginning March 12th through May 10th.  They announced that passengers on underway cruises will be disembarked at convenient locations.  I wonder if any other lines will follow suit, given the number of ports (and countries) unwilling to accept cruise passengers.  

[Tampa Girl]

1 minute ago, Tampa Girl said:

ABC has just reported that Princess Cruise line is suspending, globally, all their cruises beginning March 12th through May 10th.  They announced that passengers on underway cruises will be disembarked at convenient locations.  I wonder if any other lines will follow suit, given the number of ports (and countries) unwilling to accept cruise passengers.  

  Sorry!  I didn't scroll down far enough.  Please delete.

[Minoushka]

Will others follow suit ???

[Qcruise]

Viking suspended for 30 days......I would expect all others to follow suit.......our April 28th cruise will most likely not happen.   Very sad

[AV8rix]

Well, I certainly hope that HAL follows.  Particularly since our next "big" season is Alaska!  Alaska is really no better off in handling this than the little isolated Caribbean ports.  Now, before you flame me, I don't mean that Alaska is backwards or primitive.  Just that their geography mitigates against being able to cope with an epidemic, especially in the small southeastern ports that most ships visit.  Hear me out: 

 

The hospital in Ketchikan has about 25 inpatient beds, Sitka the same, Skagway without, even the hospital in the state capital has fewer than 50 beds.  Providence in Anchorage has about 450 beds.  Don't know if they are ready to cope with large-scale isolation.  Perhaps Elmendorf would have to handle.

 

But the main problem, as I see it, is the distance between the Anchorage area and the small southeastern ports without adequate medical facilities.  If ships passengers infect the local residents of the most-visited ports it would be prohibitively expensive and a logistical nightmare for the state to transport those infected to the Anchorage area.  All we have to do here in the states is to call 911, an ambulance promptly arrives, and the patient is taken to a facility equipped to handle.  This is not the case in Alaska.

 

I have posted essentially the same message to my roll call a few days ago.  Yes, I'm booked on Maasdam's first trip to Alaska this season.  I live in the most infected area in the country (Puget Sound region) so it has been my intention to cancel by the deadline if it is not done for me by governmental agencies or HAL itself.  Don't want to risk being an unwitting carrier.

[gphb]

Orlando just reported to Travel Advisors that HAL have no plans at this time for any fleet wide decisions similar to Princess.   They do not consider they have had any confirmed cases of COVID-19 and so do not have the same need to flush the brand as do Princess.   They will look at individual ships and itineraries.    

 

In the meantime they will be changing their Short Term Cancel/Book with Confidence program to include 100% commission (base + override) payable to TA even if guests cancel, and to provide commission on the FCC rebookings.

 

Edited March 12, 2020 by gphb

[ozzie0075]

Virgin delaying the their debut until August. https://cruiseradio.net/virgin-voyages-postpones-scarlet-lady-launch-until-august/

[sue1898]

Just now on HAL’s Facebook page:

Holland America Line stands by the difficult decision of our sister-brand Princess Cruises to suspend their cruise operations. However, our cruises remain fully operational. We want to assure our guests that we are closely monitoring the global updates and changes. If and when changes need to be made, we will communicate with all affected guests. We also appreciate your patience as we experience an exceptional volume of calls. We continue to prioritize guests who are currently sailing or due to depart in the next week. Thank you for your continued loyalty and support.

[Jack McGowan]

Assuming the ships will head towards where they will need to be in 60 days time

[awhcruiser]

Holland America Line stands by the difficult decision of our sister-brand Princess Cruises to suspend their cruise operations. However, our cruises remain fully operational. We want to assure our guests that we are closely monitoring the global updates and changes. If and when changes need to be made, we will communicate with all affected guests. We also appreciate your patience as we experience an exceptional volume of calls. We continue to prioritize guests who are currently sailing or due to depart in the next week. Thank you for your continued loyalty and support.

 

[cruisegirl]

19 minutes ago, awhcruiser said:

Holland America Line stands by the difficult decision of our sister-brand Princess Cruises to suspend their cruise operations. However, our cruises remain fully operational. We want to assure our guests that we are closely monitoring the global updates and changes. If and when changes need to be made, we will communicate with all affected guests. We also appreciate your patience as we experience an exceptional volume of calls. We continue to prioritize guests who are currently sailing or due to depart in the next week. Thank you for your continued loyalty and support.

 

I'm glad to see this but would you mind giving us your source.  I think everyone will want to know.  Thanks for posting it though.

[Wehwalt]

18 minutes ago, awhcruiser said:

Holland America Line stands by the difficult decision of our sister-brand Princess Cruises to suspend their cruise operations. However, our cruises remain fully operational. We want to assure our guests that we are closely monitoring the global updates and changes. If and when changes need to be made, we will communicate with all affected guests. We also appreciate your patience as we experience an exceptional volume of calls. We continue to prioritize guests who are currently sailing or due to depart in the next week. Thank you for your continued loyalty and support.

 

That’s great, now tell us what you’re going to do about the transatlantics.

[kazu]

19 minutes ago, awhcruiser said:

Holland America Line stands by the difficult decision of our sister-brand Princess Cruises to suspend their cruise operations. However, our cruises remain fully operational. We want to assure our guests that we are closely monitoring the global updates and changes. If and when changes need to be made, we will communicate with all affected guests. We also appreciate your patience as we experience an exceptional volume of calls. We continue to prioritize guests who are currently sailing or due to depart in the next week. Thank you for your continued loyalty and support.

 

 

Bolding is mine.  They are a little slow at communicating.  Everyone knows there is know way our previous TA is doing to disembark/embark at Civitavecchia.  

Frankly I think this decision is a tad foolish.  Princess made a wise decision.  Cruising to the Med (which starts very shortly) is a near impossibility but no itinerary changes have been advised yet.

 

Just now, Wehwalt said:

That’s great, now tell us what you’re going to do about the transatlantics.

 

Ditto.  It would be nice to know, wouldn’t it?

[canadianbear]

8 minutes ago, cruisegirl said:

I'm glad to see this but would you mind giving us your source.  I think everyone will want to know.  Thanks for posting it though.

I saw this on HAL Facebook.  Not sure if that’s where the original poster saw it.  

Edited March 12, 2020 by canadianbear

[Crazy For Cats]

I had reached out to my PCC this morning.  I let her know that I have a back up plan if next week's cruise gets cancelled.  She replied that there are no plans to cancel a sailing.  If we cancel a sailing you would receive an Emergency/Important notice by email.

[Wehwalt]

It reads to me like they intend to ride out the storm with as little change to itineraries as possible.

[tampacruiser]

13 minutes ago, cruisegirl said:

I'm glad to see this but would you mind giving us your source.  I think everyone will want to know.  Thanks for posting it though.

It was on the Holland America Official Facebook page

[cruiseing marly]

Im a really big Holland America fan ,but they are just delaying the inevitable . Will not be long before ports will not allow them. I hope they make the right decision and pause operations for 60 days. I love cruising but this scares hell out of me. I'm also concerned about our business that we will have to pause it. Its a big financial hit lets hope there is some government assistance .

[cruiseing marly]

I would take FCC if they Guarantee same length of cruise same categories as booked. To easy to raise prices to make up some losses . But they should get some government assistance i do think that should be from all counties that benefit from the industry.

[tkwbear]

A friend who works on a HAL ship currently in the Caribbean told me yesterday that some of the ports are denying them entry, even though no one on board is sick. 

 

I think HAL should suspend operations for a month and refund, not credit, any cruise booked during that time.  Most likely the suspension would be extended, because it looks like things are getting worse rapidly. I'm booked on the NA to Spain next month, and while I believe HAL would take good care of us on the ship, the flight over to FLL, and any flight home (assuming they are even allowed by then) seems like a serious risk.