3 in 10 cruisers won’t cruise again

[Selbourne]

Interesting article by Simon Calder in today’s Independent. 
 

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/coronavirus-cruise-diamond-princess-quarantine-outbreak-latest-a9462071.html

[Presto2]

I suppose it is all so 'real' at the moment amidst lock downs and, how I feel, I really don't want to fly in an aeroplane with hundreds of other people in a close space every again. Not even happy passing too close to someone when out for a walk let alone go on a holiday or going to the supermarket, lines and spaces or not. The whole travel industry is going to be shaken for a very long time. It is times like this that I wish we had our own static caravan somewhere.

It will take a long time for confidence in going anyway and doing anything to return, but I do think that, once there is some sort of a vaccine for this things will gradually return to normal. When? Well that is another question !

Edited April 13, 2020 by Presto2

[Twogreynomads]

As a retired statastician I would only say that a good rule with any headline is to reverse the figure in the headline. If three out of ten will not consider cruising again that means seven out of ten would. Unfortunately that does not make a good headline, and as always it depends on how the questions are framed.

[majortom10]

We had 5 cruises booked for 2020,21 before the pandemic 1 has already been cancelled and awaiting refund the next a 28nt America/Canada cruise from Southampton and return in October and balance due in June we are seriously considering cancelling and losing deposit as dont want a FCC. The 3 next year we will perhaps have no option but to do them but after doing on average 2/3 cruises a year since 1997 and the majority have really enjoyed we are seriously considering not ever booking a cruise again after the backlog and November 2021 might be our last ever cruise. If it is then we would lose the £350 deposit for October and a FCD bought onboard Cunard which was planned to be used on booking their new ship which we will lose.

[zap99]

10 minutes ago, Twogreynomads said:

As a retired statastician I would only say that a good rule with any headline is to reverse the figure in the headline. If three out of ten will not consider cruising again that means seven out of ten would. Unfortunately that does not make a good headline, and as always it depends on how the questions are framed.

Statistics can be fun. If 30% of all road accidents are caused by drunk drivers, in the other 70% of accidents the drivers were sober.

[AndyMichelle]

Great Post Selbourne. 

I can only give our view and we would love to cruise again, but in the current climate, its a no.. 

As I have said before, if we could feel safe, have adequate insurance and realistic prices, we would definitely cruise again. 

I'm sure the insurance and prices will get sorted reasonably quickly, they have to for the economy, it's the feeling safe that is a concern.

They think the deaths etc on the Ruby Princess were caused by 1 galley worker handling food.

The checks would have to be very thorough on crew and passengers and 100% accurate... 

Andy 

[cruisenewbie1976]

16 minutes ago, Twogreynomads said:

As a retired statastician I would only say that a good rule with any headline is to reverse the figure in the headline. If three out of ten will not consider cruising again that means seven out of ten would. Unfortunately that does not make a good headline, and as always it depends on how the questions are framed.

Absolutely. Considering we're in the worst stage of the crisis, that is great news for the cruise industry. 

[majortom10]

Any survey you can if you ask the right questions get the answers you want to receive and you can do "magic" with numbers ask any accountant lol.

[JT1962]

To me the bigger issue for the cruise industry is not how many former cruisers will return, but how many who have never cruised will take a cruise in the future. Most of those who cruised regularly will return and understand the headlines are overstated most times. Those who have never cruised just see a headline or brief tv news clip and assume the worst. I had a friend say last week “Surely you would never go on another cruise again would you? Those things are dangerous. That is where the Coronavirus started and people are always falling off those ships.” Sadly that is what many who have never cruised believe by just reading a few stories and never experiencing a cruise.

[grapau27]

44 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Interesting article by Simon Calder in today’s Independent. 
 

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/coronavirus-cruise-diamond-princess-quarantine-outbreak-latest-a9462071.html

There have been lots of instances like coronavirus,911 etc that have frightened people against travel.

When it is safe to do so and insurance covers people and the government says it is okay I suspect there will be less than 1 in 20 say they won't cruise again and mean it.

 

[Selbourne]

31 minutes ago, Twogreynomads said:

As a retired statastician I would only say that a good rule with any headline is to reverse the figure in the headline. If three out of ten will not consider cruising again that means seven out of ten would. Unfortunately that does not make a good headline, and as always it depends on how the questions are framed.

Very true, although this isn’t from one of the more sensationalist papers and Simon Calder is probably the most respected travel journalist in the UK. Personally, I am surprised that it’s only 3 in 10 and I also feel that a year or two after Coronavirus has been overcome a proportion of those saying that they won’t cruise again may well return. The bigger issue, as I see it, is the number of people who have never cruised and were coming around to the idea (hence all the new ships and P&O’s new target market). I should imagine that a greater percentage of those people will have had second thoughts. 

[cruisenewbie1976]

5 minutes ago, JT1962 said:

To me the bigger issue for the cruise industry is not how many former cruisers will return, but how many who have never cruised will take a cruise in the future. Most of those who cruised regularly will return and understand the headlines are overstated most times. Those who have never cruised just see a headline or brief tv news clip and assume the worst. I had a friend say last week “Surely you would never go on another cruise again would you? Those things are dangerous. That is where the Coronavirus started and people are always falling off those ships.” Sadly that is what many who have never cruised believe by just reading a few stories and never experiencing a cruise.

Was someone who thought people are "always falling off ships" ever have booked a cruise anyway, even before the coronavirus? 

[kalos]

55 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

It will take a long time for confidence in going anyway and doing anything to return,

 

The exact words of Mrs Kalos to me the other day.So your not alone feeling that way .

 

Looking at the bigger picture with the general public ,they have short memories.

If you look at the Tunisia beach attack ,their tourism industry collapsed overnight but within months it began to

build back up again .

When this is passed the biggest risk will be the ones who go back to some well documented  unhygienic ways

again and God forbid we end up doing this all again .

Edited April 13, 2020 by kalos

[Selbourne]

5 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

The exact words of Mrs Kalos to me the other day.So your not alone feeling that way .

 

Looking at the bigger picture with the general public ,they have short memories.

If you look at the Tunisia beach attack ,their tourism industry collapsed overnight but within months it began to

build back up again .

When this is passed the biggest risk will be the ones who go back to some well documented  unhygienic ways

again and god forbid we end up doing this all again .

Having been to Tunisia a few times, I am pleased to hear that their tourist industry has recovered. It’s a shame that the same can’t be said of Egypt. Their tourist industry collapsed after terrorist attacks and has never recovered. Great shame as I always fancied a Nile cruise and all the ancient sites. 

[Pine Man]

52 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

we are seriously considering cancelling and losing deposit as dont want a FCC

 

That doesn't make any sense.

 

If you cancel and lose your deposit that money is gone - completely.

 

If you cancel and take a FCC the money remains available and usable for a period should you change your mind.

[Tommart]

11 minutes ago, Pine Man said:

 

That doesn't make any sense.

 

If you cancel and lose your deposit that money is gone - completely.

 

If you cancel and take a FCC the money remains available and usable for a period should you change your mind.

Makes perfect sense to me.  A cash refund is cash in hand.  An FCC is worthless if Carnival goes under.

[Pine Man]

...but he said 'we are seriously considering cancelling and losing deposit' not sure how that translates to a cash refund??

Edited April 13, 2020 by Pine Man

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

He/she suggested in the post they may choose to give up cruising save for the ones already booked, so cancelling makes sense in that respect. 

 

Myself, I have one booked for June 2021, but other than that I won't be in a rush to consider any new cruise booking, certainly not before many months of normality have passed drama free. 

[cruisenewbie1976]

5 minutes ago, Pine Man said:

...but he said 'we are seriously considering cancelling and losing deposit' not sure how that translates to a cash refund??

I know what you mean and totally agree. You have to remember that the general mentality on here is a glass half empty one. 

[JT1962]

Was someone who thought people are "always falling off ships" ever have booked a cruise anyway, even before the coronavirus? 

No, that was my point regarding people who have never taken a cruise just seeing a headline or news story and making assumptions. New cruisers will be much more difficult to attract than those of us who have cruised before. Most of us will return, but those who have not cruised, but may have considered it, will be harder to convince to book a cruise going forward.

[majortom10]

17 minutes ago, Pine Man said:

 

That doesn't make any sense.

 

If you cancel and lose your deposit that money is gone - completely.

 

If you cancel and take a FCC the money remains available and usable for a period should you change your mind.

But the period a FCC covers is new bookings up until March 2022. We already have 3 booked for next year and cannot book anymore and there is nothing applicable in 2022.

[cruisenewbie1976]

Just now, JT1962 said:

 

No, that was my point regarding people who have never taken a cruise just seeing a headline or news story and making assumptions. New cruisers will be much more difficult to attract than those of us who have cruised before. Most of us will return, but those who have not cruised, but may have considered it, will be harder to convince to book a cruise going forward.

 

Yeah, I see what you mean. Although a lot of people will never be convinced. My mother in law reckons she's drawn to water and would go overboard 😂 

[zap99]

6 minutes ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

I know what you mean and totally agree. You have to remember that the general mentality on here is a glass half empty one. 

We are booked on Iona for the end of August. Balance is due at end of May. If not cancelled by then we will cancel and lose the deposit . " Only " £130. If offered would take cash refund, or FCC. If in a month, or so it appears that the cruise will go we will pay the balance

 If the experts say it is safe to travel on cruise ships again, we will go.

Edited April 13, 2020 by zap99
Spell

[kalos]

32 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Having been to Tunisia a few times, I am pleased to hear that their tourist industry has recovered. It’s a shame that the same can’t be said of Egypt. Their tourist industry collapsed after terrorist attacks and has never recovered. Great shame as I always fancied a Nile cruise and all the ancient sites. 

 

I think the problem with Egypt is they seem to have more than their fair share of attacks over the years .

Having said that we are at risk, some places more and less but you never know do you?

We could decide to holiday at home and still end up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[daiB]

But the period a FCC covers is new bookings up until March 2022. We already have 3 booked for next year and cannot book anymore and there is nothing applicable in 2022.

Everything I have seen says that if you cannot use your FFC by the end of the period it is valid you then get your money back.

So not taking it now makes no sense.

Not ideal but the best solution in strange times.


Sent from my iPad using Forums