Cruising in 2021

[Hawaiidan]

49 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Besides my Marina Aug. 29 BalticI have a deposit on a Jan.14 Windstar Tahiti cruise. I am not apprehensive at all as it is only $100 deposit. I also have booked the air to PPT with UA miles. At this point it is 50/50 as to whether French Polynesia will allow visitors by then. But if they do, I will be there.

Well Susan,  If it is Tahiti that you want to see  bake a plan B..   turn it into a land tour < there is a great ferry to Moorea.     Too, there are mail/freight small ships that go between the islands.  They have upgraded their ships to include  more and newer cabins    Aniru(SP)  I think is the ship.   You ca also fly  all over on short hops.    

While seeing Tahiti from  a ocean cruise  is both the most comfortable and cheapest way you can do a great land trip.........

[Hawaiidan]

23 hours ago, JVNYC said:

Thanks for this info. How was your weather that time of year? It can definitely be all over the place in that part of Europe.

 

Been there...its spring like  Vineyards and crops in full bloom  in Bordeaux ,, 78-75 high 55 low low chance of rain ( the have to gather grapes before rain molds them( 

   Normandy... cooler and dry,,, everything  super green. little chance of rain  67-65- low 55   

  Belfast Ireland:  Its the emerald isle of green  Rain about 33 % of the time  cool  61-60   low 55   higher humidity       Lisbon 84-80.. low 60   dry and low humidity

It is overall the very best weather of the year................................Dan

[FolsomMike]

8 hours ago, JVNYC said:

Anyone else apprehensive about booking something in 2021? 

I’m not booking any cruises or flights until there’s a widely available vaccine. For one thing, I still need to cancel my summer flights to London and by A.A.’s current policy, I may only get vouchers good until next summer. Also, what kind of vacation is it if the cruise ship staff (and others) are all wearing masks?

[Paulchili]

1 hour ago, FolsomMike said:

or one thing, I still need to cancel my summer flights to London and by A.A.’s current policy, I may only get vouchers good until next summer.

Wait until they cancel the flight closer to time.

[FolsomMike]

12 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Wait until they cancel the flight closer to time.

That’s what I’m hoping for. 

[Mura]

8 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

I have set up a special  Normandy tour  for 6....  with Overlord.     I set up a super  bunch of sites as I had been there before.. and this trip to show my wife. about $190 pp      I also have  a private for 4 tour in Bordeaux    for  each day  1  toe Dodurone/Lascaux and 2 to St Ermilion and Pomerol     All run by a former wine maker and restaurant owner  from Bordeaux  about $120 pp@    I started a Roll call... for Marina

let me know...  

Aha, at last I can answer.  We won't be on your cruise, Dan, but I can vouch for fal/winter weather in the area.  We did Normandy on our own in early November (back in 2002) and weather was fine.  Likewise we've been in Lisbon and the area in October/November.  If we were able to cruise (other problems I won't go into) I wouldn't hesitate to do this in September.  And I'd be first in line for your Overlord tour!  We had a private guide for the two of us who was fabulous back in 2002 but I'm sure he is no longer available ...  And I'd love the wine visits as well!

 

Mura

[DeanoNorthPerth]

3 hours ago, FolsomMike said:

Also, what kind of vacation is it if the cruise ship staff (and others) are all wearing masks?

Safe.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

Wait until they cancel the flight closer to time.

Definitely. We canceled a cruise for 9/20 but the flights are still there. It's Norwegian Air so I have no to little doubt that they'll cancel. And they're in the process of refunding us for our March trip so I'm hopeful.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Mura said:

Aha, at last I can answer.  We won't be on your cruise, Dan, but I can vouch for fal/winter weather in the area.  We did Normandy on our own in early November (back in 2002) and weather was fine.  Likewise we've been in Lisbon and the area in October/November.  If we were able to cruise (other problems I won't go into) I wouldn't hesitate to do this in September.  And I'd be first in line for your Overlord tour!  We had a private guide for the two of us who was fabulous back in 2002 but I'm sure he is no longer available ...  And I'd love the wine visits as well!

 

Mura

We NEVER go to Europe in summer. All those dang tourists 🙂 Fall or spring please.

[Mura]

4 minutes ago, clo said:

We NEVER go to Europe in summer. All those dang tourists 🙂 Fall or spring please.

Did I suggest summer?  We there in November!  I was just saying that our early November was very like what Dan was talking about for September ...

 

December?  I dunno.  Although I've been in northern Europe (Germany and the like) in December and it wasn't awful.

 

Mura

[clo]

1 minute ago, Mura said:

Did I suggest summer?

Oh, no. I was just affirming your comments.

[Mura]

Whew!!!!  We also avoid travel in the summer time ... even in the U.S.

Edited May 1, 2020 by Mura

[clo]

Just now, Mura said:

even in the U.S.

Since I loathe the heat, even Seattle has gotten hot. But, of course, there's no climate change.

[RJB]

10 hours ago, Mura said:

Did I suggest summer?  We there in November!  I was just saying that our early November was very like what Dan was talking about for September ...

 

December?  I dunno.  Although I've been in northern Europe (Germany and the like) in December and it wasn't awful.

 

Mura

In Barcelona end of Nov / early Dec and it was COLD. Windy and hard to walk around.   Started a T/A  there and after a few days on the ship it began to get warmer and stayed that way. 

[Mura]

But late November/early December is not September or mid October when we were there our first time.  We had lovely weather at that time.  And as we all know, there are no hard and fast rules about weather ... this winter in NYC we had virtually no snow at all.  February is usually (or so I have heard) our coldest month but it wasn't this year.  I remember a February visit to London many years ago where we were freezing.  The actual temperature wasn't that cold -- in the high 20s F. as I remember, but the chill was incredible.  I was wearing two pairs of slacks and multiple sweaters ...

 

Still, I wouldn't advocate travel to Barcelona in early December either!

 

I did just see that in the post you quoted I said early November ... which was really mistaken.  I think there was a cruise we took more recently that left Barcelona in mid-November and I don't remember it being particularly cold that year, but my original post (I believe) was referencing our first Renaissance cruise, where we left Barcelona (driving up to France) on October 20th.  That year the weather was quite pleasant in mid-October.

 

Mura

 

 

[susiesan]

17 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

Well Susan,  If it is Tahiti that you want to see  bake a plan B..   turn it into a land tour

I am not interested in a land tour in French Polynesia. I cruised there a long time ago with Renaissance and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have been saying if I were to go back I want to go on the small Windstar sailing ships. There was a fabulous deal on the Jan. 14 sailing of the Wind Spirit, almost a $1000 less than the normal price with only a $100 deposit. I grabbed it while I could. I was able to get award tix there with UA miles, although it is in economy. It was 35K miles pp each way, very reasonable redemption. I have an inexpensive hotel reserved for 2 nights before the cruise booked though booking.com and the reservation can be cancelled with no charge.

 

I am monitoring TA for info about FP in general, when they may open up to tourism. Since 85% of the FP economy is dependent on travel and tourism there is going to be a time that if they don't allow travel they will collapse and become a dependent of France.

 

My plan B is if the safari tour in Namibia for September is postponed into 2021 and the Windstar cruise is cancelled, to maybe find a cruise closer to here if any are sailing in mid December . I am scoping out Caribbean and panama canal as options. I am also looking at a road trip in Arizona for 7-10 days in October. So much depends on when places open up to tourism.

[bitob]

13 hours ago, FolsomMike said:

That’s what I’m hoping for. 

Or a significant schedule change.  You will then be entitled to a refund

 

I am currently sitting on 4 flights I will not use based on cancelled cruises hoping that the airlines either cancel them or change the schedules significantly.  It's a waiting game.

[ORV]

17 hours ago, FolsomMike said:

I’m not booking any cruises or flights until there’s a widely available vaccine. For one thing, I still need to cancel my summer flights to London and by A.A.’s current policy, I may only get vouchers good until next summer. Also, what kind of vacation is it if the cruise ship staff (and others) are all wearing masks?

 

15 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Wait until they cancel the flight closer to time.

Maybe I was lucky but I cancelled my AA flights and got my miles credited back as well as the taxes with no fee. They didn't change them, I didn't give them any reason why. I was under the impression that as long as your flight is before Sept 30th you could cancel with no penalty. This is only AA, I don't know about others. 

[KS&JW]

34 minutes ago, ORV said:

 

Maybe I was lucky but I cancelled my AA flights and got my miles credited back as well as the taxes with no fee. They didn't change them, I didn't give them any reason why. I was under the impression that as long as your flight is before Sept 30th you could cancel with no penalty. This is only AA, I don't know about others. 

 

Getting MILES back is easy.  If you paid cash for your flight and want that returned?  That is the problem.  

[Paulchili]

15 minutes ago, KS&JW said:

 

Getting MILES back is easy.  If you paid cash for your flight and want that returned?  That is the problem.  

Exactly.

[ORV]

For what it's worth, not big potatoes but I got a refund from Delta for about $480. Once again, flight wasn't cancelled, I just called them up and told them the event I was going to was cancelled. No fees, credit card refunded in less than 7 days, and I also had my Companion Certificate that was expiring on 6/30/20 reinstated and now good through 3/31/21.

 

If you have a flight that is within their grace window you might try calling and talking to them. The worst they could say is no. 

[Hawaiidan]

17 hours ago, clo said:

We NEVER go to Europe in summer. All those dang tourists 🙂 Fall or spring please.

Welll.....take a step back  YOU  are a "Dang Tourist" every time you visit anywhere....

[clo]

1 minute ago, Hawaiidan said:

Welll.....take a step back  YOU  are a "Dang Tourist" every time you visit anywhere....

I guess you didn't see that little smiley face 🙂 

[Hawaiidan]

3 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Exactly.

Ua  easily  extended my Non- refundable Business  (2) thickets from Dec 2020  to May 2022.

It was easy  but you had to request prior to April 2020

 

[Hawaiidan]

2 hours ago, ORV said:

For what it's worth, not big potatoes but I got a refund from Delta for about $480. Once again, flight wasn't cancelled, I just called them up and told them the event I was going to was cancelled. No fees, credit card refunded in less than 7 days, and I also had my Companion Certificate that was expiring on 6/30/20 reinstated and now good through 3/31/21.

 

If you have a flight that is within their grace window you might try calling and talking to them. The worst they could say is no. 

They had a window  from March to April 30   that I posted.....   where you could have done that.. good luck now