Getting Defensive about Cruising

[hcat]

2 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

If you are looking for golf, also consider La Toc in St. Lucia. Just outside Castries, you can wave to the cruise ships as they depart the island. 

Thanks great suggestion.. Immersing myself in  brochures..  La Toc looks amazing.. I do not golf but dh can golf while I spa

[hcat]

Just one more off topic diversion, but PTCDawg  did inquire!. From the brochure...bet there's lots more on line!

Edited March 26, 2020 by hcat

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I don't feel a need to be defensive about cruising.  I love cruising.  If people ask me why I love it, I'll happily share my reasons.  Not looking to change anyone's opinion.  I do what works for me.  They can do what works for them.

[mafig]

hcat, you said to book Concierge or Suite.  What are the benefits of upgrading?

[hcat]

22 minutes ago, Baron Barracuda said:

Two minutes ago listened to CNBC report on 3 cruise ships heading to Miami with over 100 sick aboard.  Announcers irate that ships are still sailing and with Miami beginning to feel Corona strain they don't need cruise ships dumping additional sick on their doorstep.  Can understand why industry gets no sympathy from public. 

Oh so sad..for the sick, and med systems stretched!  And there are still  other ships out there..

 

While not up to  cruisers to defend cruising..seems the cruise lines will  have a big PR job ahead of them after the plague passes.

[phoenix_dream]

19 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

THIS.

I can add to the list of TV personalities, Stephanie Ruhle and Joe Scarborough, who also went on rants against Cruise lines and their ships. I'm quite sure none of them have ever been on a cruise either. Hearing the remarks made by all three (including Bill Maher) made me incensed. People without any personal experience on a subject should get off their high horses and stop using their “celebrity” status to try and influence an industry. If they don’t like cruising, fine, to each his own, but don’t bash someone else’s form of recreation.

Sorry, rant over. 😕

I'm going back to the joke thread now..... ✌🏻

These jokers act like the cruise lines created and are singularly responsible for spreading the virus!  The virus is very contagious and is spreading like wildfire on land, and considerably after cruises have been stopped (excepting the few still trying to find ports somewhere).  The cruise ships got all the bad PR because of the uniqueness of the circumstance and the fact that no one (on land or sea) really knew how to handle something like this.  It was an easy finger to point and get big headlines, rather than putting it all in perspective of the situation globally as a whole.  Truthfully, they should have been better prepared for the possibility.  But if you are being fair you can say the same thing for the governments around the world (let's not sink into a political debate here please!).  Cruise ships are, in general, no more or less unhealthy than other large gatherings of people in resorts, hotels, on airlines, in schools, businesses, etc..

[scrapcreator]

"Different strokes for different folks."

 

We enjoy cruising. We also enjoy road trips, a week at a timeshare, a weekend at a NASCAR race, a day wine tasting. Any one of those might elicit gasps of horror from friends, family, or acquaintances. It's not their vacation. We're happy to share our experiences and photos but we decide how, when, and where we want to travel.

 

We are looking forward to cruising again.

[grandgeezer]

34 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

THIS.

I can add to the list of TV personalities, Stephanie Ruhle and Joe Scarborough, who also went on rants against Cruise lines and their ships. I'm quite sure none of them have ever been on a cruise either. Hearing the remarks made by all three (including Bill Maher) made me incensed. People without any personal experience on a subject should get off their high horses and stop using their “celebrity” status to try and influence an industry. If they don’t like cruising, fine, to each his own, but don’t bash someone else’s form of recreation.

Sorry, rant over. 😕

I'm going back to the joke thread now..... ✌🏻

 

What about all the celebrities who said that they would leave the country if Trump was elected president. I'm guessing 0.

And these are the people idolized by many?

[Bo1953]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

Bo  I think your group might really enjoy something like that!

 

h - I shall look into that for sure as a few friends have decided with C-19 their sailing days are over, while on the other hand, mine will continue just as soon as I can.... LOL

 

In health and bon voyage

[hcat]

52 minutes ago, mafig said:

hcat, you said to book Concierge or Suite.  What are the benefits of upgrading?

Keep in mind this was awhile ago..( after superstorm Sandy) suggest you go to the website b/c  I know alot has changed about accomodations and categories. You can read abput the petks and programs online or if you are able to request a cirrent  brochure   only went once so not an expert by any means.

 

We took a Concierge level rm... higher floor with ocean view.  They took our luggage, gave us welcome champagne and snacks.  They did all our res , had a small concierge  area in our bldg with snacks.  Filled the bar to dh taste .  Other little extras.

 When leaving they  took all our luggage to the limo  etc  We just felt it was an upgraded plan. We will book the best rm we can afford when we go back..

[emairs]

My husband and I have been avid cruisers for many years.

Last week, we returned from an interrupted b2b on the Solstice.

When we boarded, everyone’s temperature was taken.
In light of the growing concerns about COVID-19, we were surprised that passengers were allowed to self serve at the buffet, so we took our own precauctions.

When we arrived at Dunedin, most New Zealand passengers disembarked, due to concerns about difficulty returning home. 
One passenger was taken off the ship by ambulance at Dunedin. The captain later announced that everyone was healthy.
Luckily, the ship was given permission to dock at Sydney three days later.

We were travelling with family, who later received an email from Celebrity to advise that a passenger was diagnosed with COVID-19. WE did not receive the notification. 

Today we learned that two passengers on this sailing (one from Tasmania) have died from covid19, and one other was infected.

We can’t defend Celebrity’s poor handling of this. We still have had no notification of this  serious situation. We have been self isolating since our return.

However, we still love cruising and have five future cruises booked on different lines. We will probably continue cruising on the ones that aren’t cancelled, if we feel safe at the time.
These are very strange times😳

 

[shipshape sam]

1 hour ago, C-Dragons said:

THIS.

I can add to the list of TV personalities, Stephanie Ruhle and Joe Scarborough, who also went on rants against Cruise lines and their ships. I'm quite sure none of them have ever been on a cruise either. Hearing the remarks made by all three (including Bill Maher) made me incensed. People without any personal experience on a subject should get off their high horses and stop using their “celebrity” status to try and influence an industry. If they don’t like cruising, fine, to each his own, but don’t bash someone else’s form of recreation.

Sorry, rant over. 😕

I'm going back to the joke thread now..... ✌🏻

I do not believe there are as many people who listen to celebrities in making their life decisions as did in the past.  

[Georgia_Peaches]

I, for one, believe celebrities should be listening to me 🙂. Regardless, I will not defend cruising and I will continue to do it as soon as it is safe to do so. Like  @Bo1953   pointed out, those who wish to avoid cruising for whatever reason makes no difference to me.  Those who disparage cruising as if it were responsible for an epidemic becoming a pandemic fail to realize that of all the ships that sailed, only a fraction of them had passengers fall ill to Covid-19.  Were they hard hit?  Yep...so was NYC.  When It's safe, I'm sure I will travel there again as well.  Cruising makes me happy and I refuse to apologize to anyone for that.

[CruisinNole]

I don't waste my time defending cruising. What I always say when I talk about cruising is that it isn't for everyone. I'm not big on worrying about what others think about what I do to in regards to my vacations.

[shipshape sam]

58 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

I, for one, believe celebrities should be listening to me 🙂. Regardless, I will not defend cruising and I will continue to do it as soon as it is safe to do so. Like  @Bo1953   pointed out, those who wish to avoid cruising for whatever reason makes no difference to me.  Those who disparage cruising as if it were responsible for an epidemic becoming a pandemic fail to realize that of all the ships that sailed, only a fraction of them had passengers fall ill to Covid-19.  Were they hard hit?  Yep...so was NYC.  When It's safe, I'm sure I will travel there again as well.  Cruising makes me happy and I refuse to apologize to anyone for that.

I am sure we will sail again too.  When is the question. 

 

Hope it is sooner than later.🚢

[maggieq]

Cruising is our vacation of choice. With 50+ cruises taken, yeah we love them. 
 

jMO but we have a 5/31/2020 cruise booked and certainly understand if it gets canceled. However, once cruise lines are Up and running, we are back for sure. 
 

Rccl and celebrity have given us terrific experiences so we are happy to go back and resume those. 

[OuiOnboard]

5 hours ago, Baron Barracuda said:

Two minutes ago listened to CNBC report on 3 cruise ships heading to Miami with over 100 sick aboard.  Announcers irate that ships are still sailing and with Miami beginning to feel Corona strain they don't need cruise ships dumping additional sick on their doorstep.  Can understand why industry gets no sympathy from public. 

I wondered on here a few weeks ago, after the Grand Princess incident, what would happen when there were more ships having "docking problems" in south Florida cruise terminals. I was comforted to be informed that the ship(s) would go to other ports....as GP did. Easy peasy.

[hcat]

19 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

h - I shall look into that for sure as a few friends have decided with C-19 their sailing days are over, while on the other hand, mine will continue just as soon as I can.... LOL

 

In health and bon voyage

Bo

Wishing you  many happy cruises.

 

For others in your group..

.Reading a nice CC  ongoing  review by Marvy Mare..Reflection.   She highlighted an excursion to a hotel on Aruba with photos..also a great possibility!

 

Dh received an e mail from  Sandals...due to the ongoing issues, esp airlines etc, they are closing their properties until May 25th...I know you plan far ahead but thought I'd mention this,.....may be good deals when they re open.

 

We are still hoping to cruise in 2021..and 2022 but these are other ideas....can't do much of anything right now..other than our daily  walk outside.

 

I was sad to hear there are crew on APEX testing positive...

Edited March 27, 2020 by hcat

[ECCruise]

23 hours ago, sakigemcam said:

 

Because people say "I can't believe you'd ever get on a ship again." Things of that nature. Of course one can say "Well, I can" and change the subject, but it's usually an opportunity to enlighten people. 

I can see how people would ask that question, honestly. Certain that we wouldn't get on a ship in the next 90 days or so. Beyond that, who knows. 

[Provence55always]

We have had wonderful land trips moving around every few days and staying in fabulous hotels. But nothing compares to the feeling when we get on Celebrity cruise ships ( only line we have experienced) and knowing everything will be taken of from the moment we unpack and kick the cases under the bed. It’s not for everyone but we love it and usually people we have to defend it to......have never cruised.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Esprit]

So New York has the highest Corona death toll in the US, but no cruise ships can be blamed surely?

[farawayatsea]

47 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

I can see how people would ask that question, honestly. Certain that we wouldn't get on a ship in the next 90 days or so. Beyond that, who knows. 

What's happening on the Zaandam is out of a horror movie.  That alone will put most off cruising for a few years.  It's sad as cruises are our favourite vacation but we wouldn't dream of cruising again for the next year and probably never.    Our kids would not let us anyway!! 

 

While I am very sorry for those on ships atm in trouble is there a point to be made that anyone who boarded a cruise ship in March was very reckless?

[Ride-The-Waves]

"Cruising" is simply another form of seeing the world.  We have been fortunate to step foot on all 7 continents, live in eastern Europe during the "Iron Curtain" days, tour Africa on safari, "cruise" the Galapagos and China (Yangtze and Tibet), transits across the Atlantic during the heydays of the great ocean liners (Original Queens, SS United States and SS America, etc) when that was the only way to get across the Pond, river cruising in Europe and most of all meet wonderful people from all around the world.  The "modern" mega ships focus on on-board entertainment, partying/drinking from start to finish, and conga-lines around the pool at midnight have ruined what was once an elegant way to travel and see the world.  One cannot join a cc "roll call" without someone hijacking the thread and starting their own personal list of the 6-8 percent of fellow passengers thinking that bar hopping and slot pulls are the mecca of cruising.  Meeting people from different cultures and understanding that they have the same desires and family perspective you do is valuable.  Drinking oneself silly with "all you can drink" packages is not.  Cruise lines have much of this to blame on themselves.  Redesigning ships and instituting policies/practices to squeeze every last dime they can out of passengers along with high prices and in general poor customer service from corporate offices, changes we have experienced over the past decade, are total turn offs.  I expect "cruising" will be changing somewhat when (and if) COVID-19 is past to include increased health screening of passengers, increased focus on the passenger experience instead of share holder "value," and a much more refined attitude towards "quests."

[Blackduck59]

On 3/26/2020 at 10:49 AM, Bo1953 said:

I agree with you and think were more of those individuals will not sail now, especially when I Am sailing, it would be a much better environment over all... LOL

 

This is not to mean that 'their' concerns are not valid, just that their concerns are not mine.

 

In health and bon voyage

 

Bo, I see your posts and agree. We don't have the means to cruise as much as we would like and of course one only has so much vacation time. Our next cruise is scheduled for late January to early February of 2021 Auckland to Melbourne in Eclipse. We are looking forward to that trip and have no thoughts of cancelling. We don't defend cruising per se just say this is what we are doing and we enjoy it. Don't really care what others think. Like you said so well "their concerns are not mine"

Be well everyone

[hcat]

48 minutes ago, farawayatsea said:

What's happening on the Zaandam is out of a horror movie.  That alone will put most off cruising for a few years.  It's sad as cruises are our favourite vacation but we wouldn't dream of cruising again for the next year and probably never.    Our kids would not let us anyway!! 

 

While I am very sorry for those on ships atm in trouble is there a point to be made that anyone who boarded a cruise ship in March was very reckless?

Wow..   very sad news, just read online( Yahoo News) that 4 passengers are deceased on board,  cause of death not established  but 2 on the ship had yested positive and many had flu like symptons..

 The ship was denied Passage through the canal  and pax were  to transfer to another ship...and is now  offshore Panama.  

Prayers are  with them.

 

Caveat:    Story unfolding  , so pls seek it out if you want  details or confirmed facts .

 

Not a good time to defend cruising..each person must make their own decisions .  

 

Looking forward to happier times!

 

Edited March 27, 2020 by hcat