Many available cabins?

[snorkle lover]

Since our cruise the end of April has been canceled,

I have been perusing Regent's web site looking at

maybe booking a future cruise.

I have been looking at cruises in 2021 and I am struck

by the number of available cabins in many categories. I

have to wonder if this is not a good sign.

Ghost Ship!!

[Roger88]

For now yes. But the moment the crisis will be over they prices will sky rocket and there wont be any cabins available year a head. If you really plan to go cruising next year, I would better purchase it now and get some reliable insurance. Trust me, its better to do now. And dont forget about insurance..even if you pay a little too much for it 

[mrlevin]

11 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

For now yes. But the moment the crisis will be over they prices will sky rocket and there wont be any cabins available year a head. If you really plan to go cruising next year, I would better purchase it now and get some reliable insurance. Trust me, its better to do now. And dont forget about insurance..even if you pay a little too much for it 

 

Are you a travel agent?  Cruises won't be packed next year.  First time that someone comes down with the virus (bound to happen) there will be another uproar at cruise industry.  Until we get a reasonably good vaccine and easy point of entry testing I think only the very brave will be on cruise ships.

 

Marc

[snorkle lover]

mrlevin,

 

No, I am not a travel agent? Just someone thinking about cruising next year

nothing more than that. However, I agree that next year just might be a

bit too soon and we are in the vulnerable age group. Oh well, a girl can hope.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Our World Cruise in January 2021 is waitlisted in all but one category.  Last week there were three categories available, so it seems they are still taking bookings.  And we're hanging onto that booking for dear life, although I have no strong confidence that we'll take it.

[Got2Cruise]

I would be afraid of the situation on the Holland American cruiseship at the moment. 

[bennett2005]

There is a great contest going on currently.  You all should try to win. 

 

First place is a 10 day cruise on the Grand Princess

 

Second place is a 20 day cruise on the Grand Princess.  

[Gray Eagle02]

We are booked on March 2021 cruise Singapore to Dubai. It sold out early and we booked last August. The entire cruise was waitlisted. Now many rooms are available. I am sure we will cancel though we will eat the $3400 Alliance Travel Insurance policy. Not sure we will ever cruise again.

[Ladys Mom]

We are booked on the 2021 World Cruise as well.  We plan on going but I am concerned that if Regent cancels it we will be left with a very large FCC.  That being said, more likely, if it were cancelled we would immediately book the 2022.  Wendy, when I looked at the itinerary closer it looked better and better.  Except for not going to India, which we can do another time, it does most of what we are doing on the 2021, save for the middle east and Europe that we have done many times before.

[Travelcat2]

Our November 2020 cruise has been waitlisted for almost a year but it now some some availability.  I suspect that many people are not ready to book a cruise right now.  It isn't only about what is going on now but the possibility that it could return in the winter.  We have cruises booked in November 2020, March 2021 and October 2021 (not counting our soon to be cancelled May 2020 cruise).  

 

At this moment, I feel fairly confident about our November cruise this year and October cruise next year.  It is cruises in January, February, March and April 2021 that I'm concerned about.  A lot may depend upon how quickly they can find a preventative vaccine or a cure.  Trying to stay positive.

 

As someone posted on another website, "can we please reboot 2020 ....... this version has a virus".

[cruiseluv]

4 hours ago, Roger88 said:

For now yes. But the moment the crisis will be over they prices will sky rocket and there wont be any cabins available year a head. If you really plan to go cruising next year, I would better purchase it now and get some reliable insurance. Trust me, its better to do now. And dont forget about insurance..even if you pay a little too much for it 

Huh?? "Prices will sky rocket"?? Why? Have prices for next year cruises been reduced? I dont think so! Unfortunately, rightly or wrongly, this pandemic will spook many people and keep them away from cruising for a long while.

[labonnevie]

FYI, we booked the October 2021 Rome to Abu Dhabi Voyager cruise to replace the just cancelled April Abu Dhabi cruise.

Virtually the same itinerary, same category. Even using the onboard booking savings we are paying about $950 pp more for the 2021 cruise. If the prices go down we do have price protection. We shall see what happens.

[Kiwifromkiev]

3 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

At this moment, I feel fairly confident about our November cruise this year and October cruise next year.  It is cruises in January, February, March and April 2021 that I'm concerned about.  A lot may depend upon how quickly they can find a preventative vaccine or a cure.  Trying to stay positive.

 

TC2, why are confident about November, but not January, February, March and April? I mean, if it is ok to cruise in November (unlikely, IF) - then months after that should be ok too?

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

11 hours ago, Kiwifromkiev said:

TC2, why are confident about November, but not January, February, March and April? I mean, if it is ok to cruise in November (unlikely, IF) - then months after that should be ok too?

 

She's concerned with speculation that the virus could come back next winter.  At least that's how I read it.

Edited April 1, 2020 by Wendy The Wanderer

[Wendy The Wanderer]

15 hours ago, Ladys Mom said:

We are booked on the 2021 World Cruise as well.  We plan on going but I am concerned that if Regent cancels it we will be left with a very large FCC.  That being said, more likely, if it were cancelled we would immediately book the 2022.  Wendy, when I looked at the itinerary closer it looked better and better.  Except for not going to India, which we can do another time, it does most of what we are doing on the 2021, save for the middle east and Europe that we have done many times before.

 

If Regent cancels our cruise, we should get refunds, not FCCs.  I too worry about what we would do with a mammoth FCC (which we would have after July 9th, which is final payment day.)  But if Regent does the cancelling, we should get our money back, right?

 

Yes, the 2022 itin. looks great, except perhaps for the cold weather up around Siberia, but I would do it in a minute of things were otherwise (our age, Regent's possible new draconian requirements for health, the loss of value of our stock portfolio, risk of virus recurring.)  Japan would be a huge bonus for us.

[UUNetBill]

1 minute ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

If Regent cancels our cruise, we should get refunds, not FCCs.  I too worry about what we would do with a mammoth FCC (which we would have after July 9th, which is final payment day.)  But if Regent does the cancelling, we should get our money back, right?

It was my understanding that if Regent cancels, you had the option of a full refund or a 125% FCC.  That's assuming your cruise falls within the window they've defined.  WC might be a different beast...

[Wendy The Wanderer]

1 minute ago, UUNetBill said:

It was my understanding that if Regent cancels, you had the option of a full refund or a 125% FCC.  That's assuming your cruise falls within the window they've defined.  WC might be a different beast...

 

Yeah, they're not talking about January 2021 yet.  But as our final payment date approaches, they'll have to.

[UUNetBill]

Just now, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

Yeah, they're not talking about January 2021 yet.  But as our final payment date approaches, they'll have to.

Hell, they don't even know what's going to happen next month.  We have a Jan '21 cruise booked, too (shorter one, Caribbean) in addition to our May 28th to the Med (ha!) so yeah, it'd sure be nice to know...

[John182]

It strikes me that the whole cruise booking process is going to change to one where you have to be nimble enough to jump in quickly to make a booking as conditions quickly change. There are just too many unknowns with this virus. Everybody is focussed on the magical flattening of the curve for the current outbreak but that point is just to protect health services around the world and reduce the short term mortalities. What happens after that? The virus is still present. Not enough people will have been infected to produce the much hoped for herd immunity so there will be further outbreaks that will have to be controlled by social distancing and lockdowns in all likelihood.

 

Which countries are going to allow cruise ships to dock this year? I suspect very few if any. And what will be the triggers for them to do so in the future? I have not hear any port announcing what it will take for them to re-open.

 

And then there is the virus itself. It will mutate as all viruses do to survive. That may require vaccines to change year on year much as they do for influenza depending upon the degree of mutation. We can hope that the hotter weather brings some relief but that is just a hope at this point. Data from the Southern Hemisphere where the outbreak has been at the tail end of their Summer may gives us some hope but it is too early to tell yet.

 

I for one am assuming that my holidays will be in the UK this year. Hopefully that will be travelling in my country rather than another tour around my back garden (yard)! My overarching impression is that we have a longer haul in front of us than many will have us believe. I would be delighted if I am wrong.

 

But when they do lift the barriers I'm outta here.

[cruiseluv]

1 hour ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

Yeah, they're not talking about January 2021 yet.  But as our final payment date approaches, they'll have to.

\

Well, maybe they'll treat the WC differently, but so far they're not talking about what's going on with cruises in the more distant future. Call me cynical, but I think they're happy to receive people's final payment and worry about those cruises later

Edited April 1, 2020 by cruiseluv

[Wendy The Wanderer]

5 minutes ago, cruiseluv said:

\

Well, maybe they'll treat the WC differently, but so far they're not talking about what's going on with cruises in the more distant future. Call me cynical, but I think they're happy to receive people's final payment and worry about those cruises later

 

Well, as our final payment day approaches in early July, that would be a huge mistake

[Travelcat2]

13 hours ago, Kiwifromkiev said:

TC2, why are confident about November, but not January, February, March and April? I mean, if it is ok to cruise in November (unlikely, IF) - then months after that should be ok too?

 

 

I am just thinking about the predictions that the virus could return annually.  If this were the case, it appeared in December, 2019 and is still active.  

 

While none of us know what path the virus will take, I'm looking at its short history.  China has gone back to work.  Washington state (where we live) had the first case and first death from coronavirus in the U.S..  Yesterday, the states of Washington and California were complimented by the government for the steps taken to slow the spread of the virus.  Despite some really stupid moves by a few people (specifically the choral group of 60 that practiced together resulting in almost all of them getting the virus and 2 dying), the cases in some parts of Washington state have leveled off.  I can almost see the end of the virus in this state.  So, there is a possible end in sight (fingers crossed).

 

Obviously, if it is proven that this will not return annually, the cruises next year will be fine.  If they find a cure or preventative measure, it will be a game changer.  

[wristband]

Wendy, carefully read the fine print on your WC invoice.  There is NO requirement NCL/Regent must fund to your credit card vs. their option to issue FCCs for the fare you paid via the card.  That ambiguity has me very very concerned.

 

I would want my pre-paid WC fare refunded in full to the credit card used - now. Not maybe we shall see what we shall see in 90 days.  NCL might argue should a passenger cancel the pre-paid amount will be refunded only in FCCs.  Even if the day before final payment you canx, a lot of money will be held by NCL...likely only refunded as a chit - not cash.

 

A reasonable assumption: NCL tightly holding cash to pay overhead, debt, operating costs.  Almost no revenue is coming in - no new bookings, customers cancelling are pushed to rebook on a 2021-22 cruise with a distant final payment date which means the only revenue flowing in are final payments - as yours will be in 2 months. 

 

Its crunch time.  Which will likely worsen for NCL as it becomes apparent cruises cannot occur in May or June...or later.

 

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

19 minutes ago, wristband said:

Wendy, carefully read the fine print on your WC invoice.  There is NO requirement NCL/Regent must fund to your credit card vs. their option to issue FCCs for the fare you paid via the card.  That ambiguity has me very very concerned.

 

I would want my pre-paid WC fare refunded in full to the credit card used - now. Not maybe we shall see what we shall see in 90 days.  NCL might argue should a passenger cancel the pre-paid amount will be refunded only in FCCs.  Even if the day before final payment you canx, a lot of money will be held by NCL...likely only refunded as a chit - not cash.

 

A reasonable assumption: NCL tightly holding cash to pay overhead, debt, operating costs.  Almost no revenue is coming in - no new bookings, customers cancelling are pushed to rebook on a 2021-22 cruise with a distant final payment date which means the only revenue flowing in are final payments - as yours will be in 2 months. 

 

Its crunch time.  Which will likely worsen for NCL as it becomes apparent cruises cannot occur in May or June...or later.

 

 

I don't see anything in my T&C about cancellation by the cruise line. 

 

But this is almost certainly moot anyway.  I have only paid a deposit.  It's refundable, minus the penalty ($500/pp), until July 8th.  If they don't move that date into the future, including the penalty schedule, we will be cancelling for sure.  That is if we haven't cancelled already, which at this point is highly likely.  

 

Here is our penalty schedule:
09-Jul-20 to 07-Aug-20 25% of full fare
08-Aug-20 to 06-Sep-20 50% of full fare
07-Sep-20 to 06-Oct-20 75% of full fare

 

I'd like any further penalties and payment deferred to something like September perhaps, but I know it's too early to expect that.

 

I'm sure not sweating over our excursion choices, which are available on May 10th.

[wristband]

I may not have been clear Wendy.  My concern if WE cancel before July 9th.  That's a personal decision - not NCL.

 

Your invoice page 2 has the "Guest Cancellation Schedule" when a pax cancels. See "terms & conditions" on the rssc site (specifically referred to on p. 2).

 

My point: our cruise contract is silent on the form a deposit refund will take if a passenger cancels. 

 

I infer a refund will be in the form of FCCs - or cash - based solely on what NCL decides in July.