How can the the Queens get back to cruising ?

[exlondoner]

33 minutes ago, resistk said:

 

Good point, out of the frying pan into the fire.  No one want to go to either NYC or London, both full of plague.

 

Why be so alarmist? Plague is a different and far more deadly disease, which luckily is now treatable. But there is not an outbreak in either London or NY. What we do have is quite nasty enough.

[majortom10]

Think it is far too early to even thinking of cruising again and my cruise in October might not happen but we will not be on it. Not too concerned about number of deaths in UK being highest in Europe, any death is one too many but you have to take into account size of country and number of inhabitants and more importantly  how the deaths are recorded and think most countries are doing it different making it political rather than being on a level playing field. Ratio of deaths per 100,000 people is perhaps best way but even then it is open to political messing on how deaths recorded.

[Guest SilverHengroen]

On 5/4/2020 at 9:13 PM, happy cruzer said:

Maybe Crossings will be the a niche to open?  Air travel is in trouble.  Some already did longer vacations that depend on crossings as part of it.  Still many months away but may be a market.

I suppose Atlantic crossings could be an outlier - though that could go either way. Either they become more popular as a means of travel again which could set off a bit of a renaissance, or it might finally become an unsustainable proposition to run a ship back and forward across the Atlantic.

 

Where previously I was quite convinced they would eventually build a second ship on the same design as QM2 to replace her, probably with 6-7 diesel engines rather than 4 diesel/ 2 gas turbines, and thus a slightly reduced top speed of 26-7 knots (no need for a 6 day crossing speed any longer) I suppose now if the market is finally gone, QM2 could be put on cruising full time, and eventually be withdrawn with no liner replacement at all. Alternatively, and more optimistically a fresh surge in the popularity of travel by sea rather than plane could see an interesting new generation of ships on the liner routes... 

[Covepointcruiser]

There is already one airline (Emirates) testing passengers with the 15 minute test for COVID 19.   If you have it you don’t board.   Perhaps Cunard can do something similar for transatlantic crossings.   
 

Good luck for land travel in the U.S. unless things change drastically.  We are in Maryland and any visitor must self quarantine for 14 days.   We are also required, by law, to wear fabric masks outside our homes.   National Parks are closed and when they open it will be for many less visitors than before, social distancing.

[Germancruiser]

The only chance to cruise I see for this year are indeed Transatlantics- if Cunard does that- sailing with half capacitiy- I am on board.

Loved my back to back Transatlanic two years ago.

[BlueRiband]

5 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

There is already one airline (Emirates) testing passengers with the 15 minute test for COVID 19.   If you have it you don’t board.   Perhaps Cunard can do something similar for transatlantic crossings.   
 

Good luck for land travel in the U.S. unless things change drastically.  We are in Maryland and any visitor must self quarantine for 14 days.   We are also required, by law, to wear fabric masks outside our homes.   National Parks are closed and when they open it will be for many less visitors than before, social distancing.

Testing however is only a snapshot of the patient on that day.   An airline flight is measured in hours and pre-boarding testing could make sense.  The extended duration of a cruise is something else.  Test every passenger at the terminal and they're negative.  Three days later some could now be positive with an infection picked up during their travel to the embarkation port. 

 

It's risky for a cruise line to embark passengers in New York.   If somebody does get sick they'll sue the line for being so irresponsible, reckless, greedy, and should have known better then to embark passengers in a COVID hot spot.

[Stella1250]

Actually the question should perhaps be " Who would even consider boarding a ship at any time in the future with this virus present"? I for one will probably never again set sail on a cruise ship. Too much risk of contracting a deadly disease.

[exlondoner]

8 hours ago, Stella1250 said:

Actually the question should perhaps be " Who would even consider boarding a ship at any time in the future with this virus present"? I for one will probably never again set sail on a cruise ship. Too much risk of contracting a deadly disease.

 

Much like everywhere else really, and is it that deadly? It does make one wonder how people in, say, the thirties, living memory for some, coped with everyday live amid dangers from TB, diphtheria, polio etc. 

[deck chair]

Hi Everyone on the planet!!

 

I have sailed  QM2 countless times.  I was booked on the 21 day round trip from New York to Norway set to sail August 21.

Assuming Cunard resumes operations on August 1, my sailing would have been one of the early ones.

 

I  decided to cancel this voyage because of too much uncertainty on what the shipboard experience I am used to will be like early on.

 

1.  Will capacity be reduced to reduce risk of infection spread?

2.  Will some sort of social distancing be in place?

3.  Will the British National Symphony Orchestra be cancelled for the return leg of the voyage departing September 4?  (one of big reasons I booked this voyage.)

4.  Will the number of musicians who play in the various venues be reduced?  (One of the big reasons I sail with Cunard.)

5.   Will larger tables be reduced to create more social distancing which will interfere with social interaction?

6.  Will ballroom dancing be eliminated or restricted?  (One of my most favorites activities on the ship,)

7.  Will various lounges such as The Chart Room have restricted capacity?.

8.  Various parties and receptions be eliminated?

9.  Will the various ports in Norway be dropped?  I have been to Norway many times  so no big deal to me but  being stuck on the ship is a different matter.

10.   Will there be widespread paranoia among the passengers and crew?

 

I have remained booked on the 49 day voyage segment from New York to Sydney departing January 3, 2021.  If  the same level of uncertainty remains and no clear POSITIVE picture emerges of what is will be like  I will cancel that sailing as well.  I am not going to spend all that money for a voyage filled with fear.

 

Curious what others think.  Thank you!

Deck Chair.

 

 

  

[navybankerteacher]

9 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 

Much like everywhere else really, and is it that deadly? ...

Well, you can’t really get information from everyone who contracted it - but about a quarter million dead  so far world wide since January ( not counting however many China and North Korea are lying about) indicates that it is kind of deadly.  It’s 1.3% currently reported mortality rate, not that scary at first glance, is capable of finishing off many millions more if its unprecedented high rate of contagion is not controlled (perhaps by not going back to business conducted as usual on fairly confined, fairly crowded conveyances like cruise ships).

 

So, yes, I would call it deadly.

[Ray66]

The BBC TV did an article on cruising from Southampton this morning. Here are some notes.

 

The chairman of Carnival UK says the industry will have to return slowly so health protocols can be tested and passenger confidence restored.

 

They interviewed someone from West Quay Cars who said he personally doesn't think cruising will return this year.

 

Suppliers to the industry are struggling and some may not be there when cruising resumes.

Cruising generates £10bn for the UK economy each year. Cruising stopping for 90 days is a -£2.37bn hit.  Nearly 14k jobs have been lost in the supply chain.

[Guest SilverHengroen]

3 hours ago, Ray66 said:

The BBC TV did an article on cruising from Southampton this morning. Here are some notes.

 

The chairman of Carnival UK says the industry will have to return slowly so health protocols can be tested and passenger confidence restored.

 

They interviewed someone from West Quay Cars who said he personally doesn't think cruising will return this year.

 

Suppliers to the industry are struggling and some may not be there when cruising resumes.

Cruising generates £10bn for the UK economy each year. Cruising stopping for 90 days is a -£2.37bn hit.  Nearly 14k jobs have been lost in the supply chain.

I am interested to see what 'slowly' will eventually entail - half-full ships, a couple of days between cruises to let the ships be thoroughly cleaned, shorter durations sticking closer to the departure ports (and presumably minimal port calls)? Does anyone know what sort of capacity ships need to sail at to reach break even? Presumably if they only sail with say a 2/3 compliment of passengers they would also reduce crew to a similar level so the cost of running the ship is lower as well? 

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, SilverHengroen said:

I am interested to see what 'slowly' will eventually entail - half-full ships, a couple of days between cruises to let the ships be thoroughly cleaned, shorter durations sticking closer to the departure ports (and presumably minimal port calls)? Does anyone know what sort of capacity ships need to sail at to reach break even? Presumably if they only sail with say a 2/3 compliment of passengers they would also reduce crew to a similar level so the cost of running the ship is lower as well? 

It’s hard to see the economics of sailing with 2/3 complement of passengers — while some staff could be cut, such cuts could never match the passenger reduction without so trashing service and making the necessary cleaning improvements impossible - that few would want to bother with cruising - especially at the greatly increased fares necessary to cover the fixed costs built in regardless of passenger load.

[si_boy]

18 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

It’s hard to see the economics of sailing with 2/3 complement of passengers — while some staff could be cut, such cuts could never match the passenger reduction without so trashing service and making the necessary cleaning improvements impossible - that few would want to bother with cruising - especially at the greatly increased fares necessary to cover the fixed costs built in regardless of passenger load.

I realise there will need to be adjustments and cruising in the future will be different to what we remember, but the whole experience is what we all enjoy.

However in my opinion 2/3 full ships, half empty MDR, theatre and lounge areas, afraid to leave stateroom and walk round deck, reduced onboard activities and possibly being unable to stop at scheduled ports of call is not going to be much fun.
Am not sure I would even bother dressing up for a formal night.
I think my concern would be that any booked cruises are based on what we remember of the experience, nobody knows what cruising will be like when it restarts.  
It is a leap of faith.
Yes the cruises will happen, maybe as soon as 1 August, but what It will be like onboard for say 2 weeks, nobody knows yet.

 

[Liberal_Baggie]

I doubt any cruise ship will be able to sail over 25% of former passenger numbers this year its far too difficult to do. Staff will require so much more cabin /work space and passengers space will need to be reduced. Nothing from the cruise industry at all so far. Too busy dealing with the Virus on Board Queen Victoria and Celebrity Apex amongst others.

[oskidunker]

I wonder if they will institute fixed dining in the Grills so there can be distance between tables. 

[resistk]

On 5/10/2020 at 3:42 PM, oskidunker said:

I wonder if they will institute fixed dining in the Grills so there can be distance between tables. 

 

In the Princess Grill, the tables are four abreast in place, just a couple feet between them. so going to a fixed dining time may be a good idea however no one seems to have addressed how the crew would stay COVID free - locking them up on board as led to untold misery:

 

https://business.financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/nightmare-at-sea-ends-in-death-for-some-cruise-ship-workers

 

[exlondoner]

On 5/10/2020 at 12:33 PM, si_boy said:

I realise there will need to be adjustments and cruising in the future will be different to what we remember, but the whole experience is what we all enjoy.

However in my opinion 2/3 full ships, half empty MDR, theatre and lounge areas, afraid to leave stateroom and walk round deck, reduced onboard activities and possibly being unable to stop at scheduled ports of call is not going to be much fun.

 

 

I realise I am in a minority, but I always particularly enjoy those port days, when the ship is virtually empty and dead quiet, and I can wander around without seeing anyone much, and have lunch in an empty restaurant. It is on those days I feel the ship is mine.

[IB2]

This Japanese video, of an experiment at a buffet where one of ten people is marked with a liquid substance on their hands that represents the virus and glows under UV light illustrates the problem the cruise ships face.  The room all serve themselves from the buffet in the normal way.  At the end of the meal, the ‘virus’ is all over the place, not just on the buffet but on the faces of many of the other diners.

 

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20200508/k10012422171000.html

[oskidunker]

People can no longer serve themsleves. It just wont work. I rarely go to the buffet unless nothing else is open.

[resistk]

1 hour ago, oskidunker said:

People can no longer serve themsleves. It just wont work. I rarely go to the buffet unless nothing else is open.

 

 I always enjoyed the buffet, the wife was always skeptical.  After COVID, she would likely throw me out if went near one.

[Ray66]

from today's Daily Mail:

 

Cruising: Is it Sink or Swim?

 

There is no easy short-term future for cruising. Ships have been docked since March and will remain so for the foreseeable future. 

But that could work to the industry's advantage, as it will allow plenty of time to bring in new safety procedures. 

The long-term future looks bright. Cruising is a growing market because people are living longer, travelling later in their lives than ever before

The Cruise Line Association, which represents major cruise companies in the UK, is working on measures such as pre-cruise testing of passengers, temperature testing (this may also apply in every port), increased sanitising and social distancing on board.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8332911/Are-going-summer-holiday-Millions-wondering.html

[ovccruiser]

The problem as I see it, is there are a number of people who are asymptomatic and unless a blood test is carried out, routine temperature checks will not show them. At present a test takes approx 48-72 hours to get results. As far as I can see, they will need an almost instantaneous result test of some description which could be taken whilst waiting to board, with the unfortunate consequences if there is a positive result. Not a simple task, 1 asymptomatic in a room of a few thousand could cancel the cruise.

[BlueRiband]

10 hours ago, Ray66 said:

....

The Cruise Line Association, which represents major cruise companies in the UK, is working on measures such as pre-cruise testing of passengers, temperature testing (this may also apply in every port), increased sanitising and social distancing on board...

On board social distancing would be deal breaker for me.  As a solo I always request a large table and much enjoyed the social interaction at dinner.  If that's gone for good then the whole Cunard experience is greatly diminished.  But that's just me and some might tolerate anything just to get back on board.

[Covepointcruiser]

We are all heading back to more normal operations in the U.S.    It’s too bad that someone from the limousine company decided there would be no cruising in 2020.   Guess I won’t book with them this time around.    Are things that much worse In the U.K.?    Certainly hope to sail in December.   If they go to standard seatings in the Queens Grill, I want a good portion of my fare refunded.   It would be much better if they filled less of the Queens Grill cabins and fill what remains with passengers who are “fit to sail”.