Are cruises really going out again starting mid-May?

[OnTheJourney]

Just checked out of curiosity and was amazed to see that you can book beginning May 14 or thereabouts. Seriously? Isn't it a bit too soon?  I wouldn't even consider it right now. 

[nhraformula00]

cdc 100 days from now, mid July

[firefox247]

There is a difference between what Royal is allowing you to book and the earliest those ships could possibly sail.  Royal just doesn't want to cutoff the cash collection.  I'm sure they will be forced to eventually.

Edited April 16, 2020 by firefox247

[Ocean Boy]

The answer to the title of this thread is.... No.

[Retired LEO]

Of course you can book. This way they get to hold your money and not you. 

[LMaxwell]

No, definitely not. No cruises sailing in May. 

[OnTheJourney]

Are you certain about that? I would have thought so, but here is from their website...updated today:  

 

Our goal is to resume operations for most of our ships on May 12^th, 2020. Because of announced port closures, there are other itineraries we will be suspending.

• Ships sailing out of Singapore, and ships sailing through Canada have all been impacted differently due to port closures.

◦ Canadian ports will remain closed until July 1^st, 2020.

◦ The Port of Singapore will remain closed through May 2020.

Edited April 16, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[Ocean Boy]

Where is the list of ports that are opening on May 12th?

[Retired LEO]

2 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Are you certain about that? I would have thought so, but here is from their website...updated today:  

 

Our goal is to resume operations for most of our ships on May 12^th, 2020. Because of announced port closures, there are other itineraries we will be suspending.

• Ships sailing out of Singapore, and ships sailing through Canada have all been impacted differently due to port closures.

◦ Canadian ports will remain closed until July 1^st, 2020.

◦ The Port of Singapore will remain closed through May 2020.

There will be an announcement made by Friday

[OnTheJourney]

1 minute ago, Ocean Boy said:

Where is the list of ports that are opening on May 12th?

Check out the Grandeur - scheduled to depart on the 14th out of Baltimore. 

[Ocean Boy]

Just now, OnTheJourney said:

Check out the Grandeur - scheduled to depart on the 14th out of Baltimore. 

To where?

[OnTheJourney]

1 minute ago, Ocean Boy said:

To where?

9-night bahamas

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, OnTheJourney said:

9-night bahamas

We will see....

[Hobby3333]

I am so sure that the ship will sail.  Hey Chong, pass me.......

[OnTheJourney]

I have no interest in going anywhere by cruise ship anytime soon...but was just surprised to see itineraries available for booking. As was mentioned, they can get your deposit and then push the starting dates out further. I see the CDC 100-day policy...that makes more sense. Still, weird that RCL didn't just push the calendar off. Some lines have done this. Everything is grayed out till June / July. 

[gammite]

I would put money on it that there will be no cruising till next year at the earliest. I would love to book my week long birthday cruise but anyone paying attention knows it's not scientifically possible that cruises out of the United States (or most other places) are happening this year. 

 

I remember a couple of months ago people saying that this was no big deal we would be cruising in a couple of weeks.   Then it was Royal would be back in operation within 30 days. Then it was other ridiculous fantasies that people thought they would be cruising. 

 

Get real folks. It is a wrap until next year at a minimum.  You can book a cruise and give RCI an interest free loan, at best, if you choose.  I wouldn't tho.   Under bankruptcy you wouldn't get anything back. 

Edited April 16, 2020 by gammite

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, OnTheJourney said:

Are you certain about that? I would have thought so, but here is from their website...updated today:  

 

Our goal is to resume operations for most of our ships on May 12^th, 2020. Because of announced port closures, there are other itineraries we will be suspending.

• Ships sailing out of Singapore, and ships sailing through Canada have all been impacted differently due to port closures.

◦ Canadian ports will remain closed until July 1^st, 2020.

◦ The Port of Singapore will remain closed through May 2020.

They need your money to survive. 

[OnTheJourney]

34 minutes ago, gammite said:

I would put money on it that there will be no cruising till next year at the earliest. I would love to book my week long birthday cruise but anyone paying attention knows it's not scientifically possible that cruises out of the United States (or most other places) are happening this year. 

 

I remember a couple of months ago people saying that this was no big deal we would be cruising in a couple of weeks.   Then it was Royal would be back in operation within 30 days. Then it was other ridiculous fantasies that people thought they would be cruising. 

 

Get real folks. It is a wrap until next year at a minimum.  You can book a cruise and give RCI an interest free loan, at best, if you choose.  I wouldn't tho.   Under bankruptcy you wouldn't get anything back. 

 

Good post. While sad to agree, I think you may well be right. 

[zekekelso]

1 hour ago, gammite said:

I would put money on it that there will be no cruising till next year at the earliest.

 

Me too. But I hope I'm wrong. 

[adidas5676]

2 hours ago, Retired LEO said:

There will be an announcement made by Friday

Exactly.  They have 7 days from the CDC's date of publication to formally respond.  And they typically announce things like this on Fridays towards the end of the business day because they know it's going to wreck their stocks so if they announce Friday afternoon and the stock market is closed all weekend they hope there will be less damage after a couple of days.

[bgoff60]

1 hour ago, gammite said:

I would put money on it that there will be no cruising till next year at the earliest. I would love to book my week long birthday cruise but anyone paying attention knows it's not scientifically possible that cruises out of the United States (or most other places) are happening this year. 

 

I remember a couple of months ago people saying that this was no big deal we would be cruising in a couple of weeks.   Then it was Royal would be back in operation within 30 days. Then it was other ridiculous fantasies that people thought they would be cruising. 

 

Get real folks. It is a wrap until next year at a minimum.  You can book a cruise and give RCI an interest free loan, at best, if you choose.  I wouldn't tho.   Under bankruptcy you wouldn't get anything back. 

Idea...review your post in 2 weeks and see how you feel about it then.  I work in an EOC and have a different view point.  I think that people will likely be cruising in less then 3 months... Just my 2 cents...YMMV

[jerseyjjs]

They want you to book that enticingly cheap cruise so they have a hold of your $$$.  Then, they'll cancel it a few days, at the latest, before your sailing.  They'll force feed you to take Future Cruise Credit.  Then, by the time cruising will actually start up again, you'll have purchased the same cruise for a good %150 more because you were obligated to book because they had your credit in a stranglehold.  My September sailing has already spiked over $1,000 more than I spent because a lot of people are booking it since their March, April, May, etc sailings have been cancelled. 

 

 

 

That's my take on it at least.   

[PhillyFan33579]

3 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Are you certain about that? I would have thought so, but here is from their website...updated today:  

 

Our goal is to resume operations for most of our ships on May 12^th, 2020. Because of announced port closures, there are other itineraries we will be suspending.

• Ships sailing out of Singapore, and ships sailing through Canada have all been impacted differently due to port closures.

◦ Canadian ports will remain closed until July 1^st, 2020.

◦ The Port of Singapore will remain closed through May 2020.

I would bet my last dollar RCL will not have any cruises in May. I would be very surprised if they resume cruises this calendar year. Studies keep being released concerning how long this virus will impact everyone, including a recent study by Harvard stating social distancing will likely be necessary to 2022.  

[rimmit]

45 minutes ago, bgoff60 said:

Idea...review your post in 2 weeks and see how you feel about it then.  I work in an EOC and have a different view point.  I think that people will likely be cruising in less then 3 months... Just my 2 cents...YMMV

The chance of any cruises cruising out of the US until there is a vaccine is pretty much zero.  The chance of a cruise over the summer is zero.

 

From a scientific standpoint, can you explain to me how you believe that COVID will be contained enough In 3 months so that the CDC can confidently allow people onto a cruise ship.  What scenario other than COVID miraculously disappearing would allow the CDC to overlook the Diamond princess, grand princess, zaandam, coral princess, ruby princess, celebrity eclipse, Oasis of the seas, Celebrity infinity, Disney wonder and all the other ships that have outbreaks.  The US govt is tired of dealing with this as are other foreign nations.   
 

Cruising is done until COVID is not a threat.  That is the sad reality.

 

As someone working in an EOC how would you formulate your argument to convince the CDC that cruising does not pose an unnecessary And unneeded threat to those that board the cruise ship?

 

I would love to cruise, but I just don’t think sticking our heads in the sand is going to make this go away.

[Coralc]

NO.