What would you do?

[wsbond]

Found a great deal with a military discount on a HOS cruise in December with a great "true interior" room. Haven't bit the bullet yet due to the current affairs. Looking for some input on what my cruising friends would do.

 

Pros

Best rate on a Oasis class ship during the most expensive week of cruising in a "true interior" cabin that seems to be pretty great before any of my below "pro" points

There is a current military rate and my BF is a veteran saving us almost $200 which makes this sailing so reasonably prices

Would be spending $100 and get a refundable deposit

 

Neutral

I always purchase cancel for any reason at anytime cruise insurance- this plan is $200 so I'm not necessarily using it in my trip calculations because its there whether I'm on a cruise or not

 

Cons

Should the cruise lines go bankrupt I am probably not going to get the deposit back and the cancel for any reason insurance policy probably wouldn't refund because I am purchasing during the middle of all this insanity.

 

What is yalls crystal balls saying to be cruising in December between Christmas and New Years?

 

We are young, we are healthy and are wanting to make new life memories with our family during this week!

 

 

[firefly333]

Sounds like the only reason you dont want to book is rcl might go bankrupt. Obviously I would book and have as have a lot of others. As you can read bookings are up, so people are booking. 

[BensonFan711]

I would book.  In fact, I *did* book in March the week things shut down.  I have my trip insured (and you can check your policy before you purchase).  Now, I generally pay of my cruise rather quickly to have it over and done with, but I have set autopayments for this one for the absolute last day possible (my TA set it all up for me), just in case there's a cancellation.  

 

Royal has been making some pretty great offers for cancellations, too.  What I've seen so far has been a choice of 100% refund or 125% future cruise credit.

 

Do I think they'll go bankrupt?  I hope not...I have stock! 🙂

[Biker19]

35 minutes ago, wsbond said:

Looking for some input on what my cruising friends would do.

Don't book anything more than about 60 days out.

[Jimbo]

The way things are right now with  no sail dates set for any cruiselines, really whats the point on booking anything. I'm sure when the times come to book when we all know what ships are sailing there will be plenty of opportunties to book a cabin. Because you have to figure it will be very hard for the cruiselines to fill the ships anyway.

 

I wouldn't put down any $$$ at this time.

[Iamcruzin]

2 hours ago, wsbond said:

Found a great deal with a military discount on a HOS cruise in December with a great "true interior" room. Haven't bit the bullet yet due to the current affairs. Looking for some input on what my cruising friends would do.

 

Pros

Best rate on a Oasis class ship during the most expensive week of cruising in a "true interior" cabin that seems to be pretty great before any of my below "pro" points

There is a current military rate and my BF is a veteran saving us almost $200 which makes this sailing so reasonably prices

Would be spending $100 and get a refundable deposit

 

Neutral

I always purchase cancel for any reason at anytime cruise insurance- this plan is $200 so I'm not necessarily using it in my trip calculations because its there whether I'm on a cruise or not

 

Cons

Should the cruise lines go bankrupt I am probably not going to get the deposit back and the cancel for any reason insurance policy probably wouldn't refund because I am purchasing during the middle of all this insanity.

 

What is yalls crystal balls saying to be cruising in December between Christmas and New Years?

 

We are young, we are healthy and are wanting to make new life memories with our family during this week!

 

 

The biggest con for me is not the cruise line going bankrupt or getting the virus. It would be the possibility of being quarantined for 14 plus days in an interior room if there should there be an outbreak. The other issue is I'm now willing to spend money or limited vacation time on a trip that may not be anything like my past experiences. I'm waiting to see what the post Covid on board experience will be like. Now, if I were a retired Floridian under the age of 70 I would have have a different perspective. What I do know is that I will never sail in anything less than the cheapest obstructed balcony ever again. I will also continue to book a refundable deposit.

Edited April 27, 2020 by Iamcruzin

[karena1]

I have 19 cruises booked right now.  Don't think they are going bankrupt.  They will come back stronger than ever when this is all over.  I book non refundable deposits and just go with it

[Jimbo]

6 minutes ago, karena1 said:

I have 19 cruises booked right now.  Don't think they are going bankrupt.  They will come back stronger than ever when this is all over.  I book non refundable deposits and just go with it

I can't  imagine what that is like checking for price drops............you must live near one of the cruise ports for sure.

Edited April 27, 2020 by Jimbo

[karena1]

1 minute ago, Jimbo said:

I can't  imagine what that is like checking for price drops............you must live near one of the cruise ports for sure.

We live in Florida.  I check prices every day.  Have had more price drops than ever before, so loving it.

[Jimbo]

2 minutes ago, karena1 said:

We live in Florida.  I check prices every day.  Have had more price drops than ever before, so loving it.

Travel agency or do you book directly?

[karena1]

6 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Travel agency or do you book directly?

Because we travel so much, I became a TA just to book my own stuff and family/friends/referrals.  But very much a secondary business for me.  But even before that, I booked direct and still checked prices pretty much every day.

[lovescats5]

I would book also but I would have to have a balcony or better room.  Cannot stay in a dark room, even just to go to bed.

I was looking at Oasis and could not find the good deal you said you found but then we were looking for different kinds of rooms.  Have fun.

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, wsbond said:

What is yalls crystal balls saying to be cruising in December between Christmas and New Years?

We are young, we are healthy and are wanting to make new life memories with our family during this week!

The Crystal Ball says.... "Book great deals now... once the cruise lines start opening back up, prices will slowly increase". Yes, it is a [small] gamble. But, there are some great deals out there right now. 

[ONECRUISER]

Last 4 yrs Royals been offering more Military Discounts then in past, about 1/4 my Bookings have scored them with anywhere from $200-$1000+ each. Cruise almost every Dec(ending by 23rd), always find good deals. 

Edited April 27, 2020 by ONECRUISER

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

It would be the possibility of being quarantined for 14 plus days in an interior room if there should there be an outbreak.

While many seem to so vividly remember the Diamond Princess, there's no indication that (being quarantined on the ship) would ever happen again. Even the Japanese would probably do it differently if they had to do it over again.

[firefly333]

I'm more concerned that cruising will be changed and not for the better, that's my con. People wearing masks for a while until a vaccine. Reduced capacity cant help prices. Texas governor will allow restaurants to open but at 25% capacity. Some already said no thanks that's not profitable. Carnival says they will try reduced capacity when they can cruise again

 

Shows and stuff will be reduced possibly. To me that's a con. The changes unless we find a cure. A vaccine might not be 100% so I'm not hanging my hat on that.

 

I might come back from a cruise and say no thanks for a while, who knows what to expect. No one knows.

[Hoopster95]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

While many seem to so vividly remember the Diamond Princess, there's no indication that (being quarantined on the ship) would ever happen again. Even the Japanese would probably do it differently if they had to do it over again.

 

What's the alternative? What's your source regarding what the Japanese think?

[Biker19]

6 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

What's the alternative? What's your source regarding what the Japanese think?

Get most people off the ship into land based quarantine, if needed. Watching the NHK channel and how they reacted to Costa Atlantica ship.

Edited April 28, 2020 by Biker19

[Hoopster95]

2 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Get most people off the ship into land based quarantine, if needed. Watching the NHK channel and how they reacted to Costa Atlantica ship.

 

I thought CDC say this is a no-no for US based sailings?

Australia in my sincere non-informed opinion will never ever let a ship with even one case ever dock again, so I think that would mean ship quarantine 100% needed with the time needed for a ship to get anywhere else away Australian ports (just one example).

[RKHOOKER]

My doctor gave me the flu vaccine yesterday.  He also told me a vaccine for Covid19 is at least another 12 months away.  But, a blood test (similar to testing for glandular fever) for Covid19 to detect 1)antibodies 2)if you’ve had it & 3)if you’ve never had it, should be available within 6 months.  He believes international cruising will not happen until the blood test or a vaccine becomes available.  If international cruising starts beforehand & one person gets Covid19 the entire cruise industry will go bankrupt.

[Biker19]

11 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

Australia in my sincere non-informed opinion will never ever let a ship with even one case ever dock again, so I think that would mean ship quarantine 100% needed with the time needed for a ship to get anywhere else away Australian ports (just one example).

Until there's an uproar from all the Aussies on board - don't think it will happen. Now, all the patients might be shipped off to some unpleasant place, but unlikely to be stuck on the ship.