How soon will you cruise again?

[davekathy]

2 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

September sounds perfect right now. Summer  is still uncertain, while  Autumn seems just fine. By that time you will get your refund if you had another cruise planned for Spring and by that time the situation will settle down and you will have some nice time on board before the New Year. Hope everything goes well for you!

We've also got a couple of land trips planned for this summer (June and July). One requires flying and both require rental cars and hotels. Pretty sure we'll be cancelling them. We've got a B2B cruise for March 2021 and a September 2021 cruise. 

[cpaman]

3 hours ago, bouhunter said:

Good luck finding shoes.

If I can not buy American Products, Then I will Buy from India, Mexico, etc.

I will never support a Country that unleashed death and destruction on the World.

 

[time4u2go]

14 minutes ago, cpaman said:

If I can not buy American Products, Then I will Buy from India, Mexico, etc.

I will never support a Country that unleashed death and destruction on the World.

 

I guess you won't be buying a TV or a cell phone or a computer ever again

Edited April 11, 2020 by time4u2go

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, davekathy said:

We've also got a couple of land trips planned for this summer (June and July). One requires flying and both require rental cars and hotels. Pretty sure we'll be cancelling them. We've got a B2B cruise for March 2021 and a September 2021 cruise. 

We have had to cancel 2 cruises this year and our next booked is for next February.

[toastysailor]

9 hours ago, maxsales said:

I think that’s a good point.  Cruising may well be very different when cruise ships start sailing again. 
 

what will the experience be like?  If the changes are drastic many avid cruisers may decide the new reality of cruising is not for them. Right now it would be difficult to say when anyone would cruise again not knowing what the cruise would be like. 

My wife and I currently have a Nov 2020 Caribbean cruise scheduled, but we will almost certainly cancel.  My school-aged daughter is begging us not to go, she is afraid what happens if we get trapped on the ship.

 

Without a vaccine, even if you yourself are healthy and unconcerned about getting it, you are taking a huge risk.  A person can have the virus and be asymptomatic, so there is no way for a cruse line to detect whether the people have the virus; checking for fever is not sufficient.  And if a single passenger comes down with COVID-19, it is likely the whole ship will be quarantined.

 

No thanks.

 

The question is, how is this going to affect the cruise industry?  Are self-serve buffets a thing of the past (I sure hope so!)?  How about crowded lounges and theatres?  How about swimming pools?  How is this ever going to be safe, at least until there is a quick and reliable test and/or vaccine?  How does social distancing work on a cruise ship?

 

I would feel much better if there was a test where they take a cheek swab and it turns red if it detects COVID-19 or other known viruses.  Then I would feel comfortable getting on a ship with a bunch of people.

 

I really think the future of cruising will have to change and adapt to this new reality.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, toastysailor said:

And if a single passenger comes down with COVID-19, it is likely the whole ship will be quarantined.

Not sure the Diamond Princess process will be true for other ships - it has not been for US based ships.

[happybeachbum]

We are booked for July 4. I have a gut feeling the virus will be gone by then. We got such a good price, we'll be laughing all the way to the ship. I would never get a vaccine and hope it is never mandatory.

[PigsCanFly]

We are also booked for July 4th.  Also August, Sept and December.  We expect that they may get canceled in that order also.  Still waiting for our refunds for March which RCL canceled and for May & June that we canceled because they both included Canada ports.

This is new for everyone.  We would have became Diamond + in March, now who knows when that will happen, if ever.  We are keeping positive thoughts doing our best to keep our social distance from everyone else.  

Best of luck to all.  Healthwise and cruisewise.

 

[JamesEM]

Hopefully December, so I can use my 2 FCC, even though I'm in my 70's..

Edited April 12, 2020 by JamesEM
Typo

[SNJCruisers]

On 4/10/2020 at 12:14 PM, BBQluver said:

As long as diabetics are banned from cruising, I doubt I will be able to cruise again.

Could you please provide me with a link to where you saw this online.

[time4u2go]

7 hours ago, happybeachbum said:

We are booked for July 4. I have a gut feeling the virus will be gone by then. We got such a good price, we'll be laughing all the way to the ship. I would never get a vaccine and hope it is never mandatory.

July 4 of what year?

[bouhunter]

7 hours ago, happybeachbum said:

We are booked for July 4. I have a gut feeling the virus will be gone by then. We got such a good price, we'll be laughing all the way to the ship. I would never get a vaccine and hope it is never mandatory.

I have a gut feeling there won't be much laughing going on when the cruise is cancelled.

[LXA350]

7 hours ago, happybeachbum said:

We are booked for July 4. I have a gut feeling the virus will be gone by then. We got such a good price, we'll be laughing all the way to the ship. I would never get a vaccine and hope it is never mandatory.

 

If many more are thinking like you, the virus will be around for much longer. Your cruise you can forget and the last one laughing will for sure not be you

[parrotfeathers]

16 hours ago, toastysailor said:

My wife and I currently have a Nov 2020 Caribbean cruise scheduled, but we will almost certainly cancel.  My school-aged daughter is begging us not to go, she is afraid what happens if we get trapped on the ship.

 

(Delete paragraph).

 

No thanks.

 

(Delete paragraph)

 

I really think the future of cruising will have to change and adapt to this new reality.

 

I also have reservations for November 2020.   I think I will feel better cruising in late 2021 but we'll have to see.   If they won't let me transfer my deposit I won't feel too loyal at all.  But I also understand business is business, but this event will make me reconsider non refundable deposits.

[karena1]

On 4/9/2020 at 6:29 PM, 3red7s said:

I can certainly understand your concerns. Everyone will have their own comfort level on this.  We have 26+ cruises, and are booked for June, July, August & December. Norovirus has always been an issue on cruise ships....but thankfully, we have never had any issues.  Someone once said:  Life begins outside your comfort level.....and we hold on to that.....but once again.....everyone's comfort level is different.  Do what you are comfortable with.

 

Totally agree with you, I don't live in fear, I live my life to the fullest.  What happens, happens.  Learned that long ago when I lost family to cancer/car crashes, etc.  We will never have to say "I wish" as we have traveled as much as we possibly can and will continue to cruise and travel the minute we can.

[parrotfeathers]

18 minutes ago, karena1 said:

I don't live in fear, I live my life to the fullest.  What happens, happens.

 

I'm not fearful.   I just will do what is best for my family and circumstances.  

[zebra36]

To answer the ? from the original post, definitely not this year and if a vaccine is developed before early spring of next year and the DR. note thing goes away, I would consider something for March 2021 or later.

[skywonder]

On 4/11/2020 at 5:21 AM, Biker19 said:

Welcome to CC.

Thank you! 😊

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, karena1 said:

I don't live in fear, I live my life to the fullest.  What happens, happens.  Learned that long ago when I lost family to cancer/car crashes, etc.  We will never have to say "I wish" as we have traveled as much as we possibly can and will continue to cruise and travel the minute we can.

1000% agree. 

 

There are a lot of pandemic "experts" on Cruise Critic who voice their "expert opinions" on just about every topic. Like the talking heads on CNN that spout out information out of context and without true basis. 

 

We'll listen to the real experts and make an informed decision to resume cruising as soon as we can. We have been booked on 4 cancelled cruises in the past 12 months and it is time to book a cruise that actually sails. 

[potsie57]

On 4/9/2020 at 7:28 PM, Clancy14 said:

 

Hi!

 

Have 3 cruises booked currently - - - September 2020,  March 2021 and February 2022.  If the ship is sailing, so am I! 

I've had 2 different types of cancer, and the Norovirus---all on land! 

 

- Clancy

That's great you have that many cruises my only concern would be if the ports are open.  

[gatour]

On 4/11/2020 at 2:15 PM, cpaman said:

If I can not buy American Products, Then I will Buy from India, Mexico, etc.

I will never support a Country that unleashed death and destruction on the World.

 

 

On 4/11/2020 at 2:29 PM, time4u2go said:

I guess you won't be buying a TV or a cell phone or a computer ever again

Nor an automobile.  Or a major appliance.  They all contain parts from China, no matter where the final point of assembly happens.

 

CPAMAN, I could go on with other items, if you so desire

[gatour]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

1000% agree. 

 

Like the talking heads on CNN that spout out information out of context and without true basis and most do.

 

 

 Sarcastic mode on.  And Fox News is a bellwether of objectivity. Sarcastic mode off.

 

Does any news organization get everything correct 100% of the time no.  But please make a better effort than Fox News.

Edited April 12, 2020 by gatour

[lucymorgan]

I will cruise when at least one of two things happen and preferably both - 

•    a reliable vaccine
•    a reliable antibody test that can tell me if I and my family has immunity to the virus (which could either have occurred because of the vaccine or because we have, perhaps unknowingly, caught the virus)

Given the reluctance of people to get vaccinated (which seems to be much stronger in US than here in Australia where we have free vaccination for vulnerable people), the second is far more important for the cruise industry to return to normal. 

 

I can see a possibility that the cruise industry changes the over 70 rule to one that insists on evidence of immunity (i.e. a credible antibody test result).   The current problem is that these tests, which are different to the tests which show if someone currently has the virus, have reliability problems.  Once a reliable test is developed the cruise companies could also require evidence of immunity from crew members/provide vaccines for crew members as it seems that both crew and passengers unknowingly passed the virus on from person to person.   

 

(edit: and an antibody test would probably need to be completed a defined period before embarkation as it cannot tell if the person is still infectious) https://www.tga.gov.au/covid-19-point-care-tests

 

     

 

Edited April 13, 2020 by lucymorgan

[2Long2NxtCrz]

Still waiting on Royal to cancel our May cruise and haven't decided when we can cruise as a replacement for that.  It was a large group of us and it's hard to get us all free at the same time.  Plus, we got such a good deal that currently it's unlikely we'll be able to snag that price again (or maybe not, depending).  But hubby and I have a cruise leaving New Orleans on October 31st and expect that one to be in the middle of this outbreak and the expected 'second wave'.  We also have a cruise in May 2021 and will definitely be on that one, if it goes.

 

I do hope that there is concentration on getting a reliable and fast antibody test on the market ASAP.  That will help a lot.  I don't feel the need to wait to cruise until there's a vaccine since we know how to mitigate the spread, but I still hope one is found soon because of the immense suffering this has caused.

[Clancy14]

2 hours ago, potsie57 said:

That's great you have that many cruises my only concern would be if the ports are open.  

Thank you for your pleasant response. However, the ports are not that important to me. I’ve seen every port in the Caribbean, Alaska , the Northeast US and most of Mexico. We mainly cruise to just get away from our busy, stressful everyday lives. And see the ocean,  and sunrises and sunsets from our balcony. 
After we retire (1-2 years), we will do Europe. My DH will not fly, so we will need Transatlantics and Repositioning cruises to get us there and back. 
Stay safe. Stay healthy. And stay calm, everyone.  Better times are coming.

- Clancy