When Do You Think Cruising Will Be Safe

[JamesEM]

I was doing a b-2-b-2-b on the Vision, the remaining two weeks were cancelled, just received my cash refund (Yeah).  Now I'm looking to book a b-2-b, what do you think would be safest time to book my next time?

[Bibblejw]

We've got our next booked in for May, and went with the refund on the last one, as we're still not sure that that one will be going ahead.

 

My basic view at this point is that holidays and the like will be low priority for restoration. They're low criticality and high risk (basically being an easy way for outbreaks to spread large distances), so will almost certainly not be viable until a vaccine is developed, tested, and distributed, and 12 months is a low ball estimate for that.

[mugtech]

May, 2021.  No hurry

[Billy Baltic]

Safe is relative to region, nationalities onboard, the age and health of you and your travelling companions. There’s also a large chunk of luck involved - you may never be exposed to coronavirus. You may also be one of those people that suffer no symptoms. 
 

I think a more relevant question is “when will cruising be a pleasant experience”. Unfortunately I think the answer to that is some stage in 2022. 

[DISFANS3]

Sept, this year I hope??

[Sobro]

Define safe, OP. 

 

I'm not afraid to cruise, fly, or go to a restaurant right now. Even before the virus these activities could result in illness, injury, or death. 

 

So IMO it's safe to cruise today.

[bouhunter]

2 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

 

I think a more relevant question is “when will cruising be a pleasant experience”. 

That's what I'm thinking too.  We'll cancel our September Med cruise before final payment.  3 booked for January-February 2021, but IF they sail I'm not at all sure it would be a fun experience.  Not gonna' cruise if we're required to wear a mask.  Or if there is any chance it could end up as a quarantined locked down prison ship.

Edited April 29, 2020 by bouhunter

[A&L_Ont]

• Symphony in October, not doing final payment and taking the FCC for the NRD when it is offered.
• Freedom in January will be a wait and see. 
• Allure in March 2021, the plan is to go. 

[Milwaukee Eight]

2 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

• Symphony in October, not doing final payment and taking the FCC for the NRD when it is offered.
• Freedom in January will be a wait and see. 
• Allure in March 2021, the plan is to go. 

I’m convinced our October 25 Presidents Cruise Allure out of Barcelona will be cancelled. Probably after final payment. 

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Best bet is 2021.

[Saturngrl]

Before COVID-19,  the big fear on cruise ships was Norovirus.  I have, and will continue to, take consistently-serious precautions on board ship.  

 

1. I will use every hand sanitizer on board the ship when entering restaurants, the casino and wherever else available.  If the hand sanitizer is present, it's meant to be used. 

2. I carry a small container of hand sanitizer with me on board and in port, to be used before eating anything from the buffet, after using the handrails on stairs, or anywhere else needed. 

3.  I bring anti-bacterial wipes on board to wipe down everything in my cabin when we first enter it on Embarkation Day. 

4.  I wash my hands after using the bathroom. 

5.  I consider all hard surfaces contaminated. 

 

Why do I stress these points?  Because on every one of my past 10 cruises, I have witnessed passengers who pass by hand sanitizers (even when crew kindly offer it),  leave the ladies' room without washing their hands, and fail to wash hands after sneezing or coughing.  

 

As such, I consider hard surfaces to be contaminated and I act in accordance. 

 

Anyone with me on this? 

 

 

 

 

[rtazz17]

6 hours ago, JamesEM said:

I was doing a b-2-b-2-b on the Vision, the remaining two weeks were cancelled, just received my cash refund (Yeah).  Now I'm looking to book a b-2-b, what do you think would be safest time to book my next time?

When cruising resumes and theres no problems. Otherwise you are just letting them use your money to refund someone else.

[mek]

3 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

Safe is relative to region, nationalities onboard, the age and health of you and your travelling companions. There’s also a large chunk of luck involved - you may never be exposed to coronavirus. You may also be one of those people that suffer no symptoms. 
 

I think a more relevant question is “when will cruising be a pleasant experience”. Unfortunately I think the answer to that is some stage in 2022. 

And that is the point - when will it be a pleasant, relaxing experience?  That is what will get me back on a ship and until then I'll watch to see how things progress.

[sellwingri]

I’m not sure we’ll sail on our July 18th cruise but feel that Alaska in September and Rome in October are still possible.  They’re going to do whatever is possible and take precautions to sail as soon as possible.  

[beerman2]

29 minutes ago, Saturngrl said:

Before COVID-19,  the big fear on cruise ships was Norovirus.  I have, and will continue to, take consistently-serious precautions on board ship.  

 

1. I will use every hand sanitizer on board the ship when entering restaurants, the casino and wherever else available.  If the hand sanitizer is present, it's meant to be used. 

2. I carry a small container of hand sanitizer with me on board and in port, to be used before eating anything from the buffet, after using the handrails on stairs, or anywhere else needed. 

3.  I bring anti-bacterial wipes on board to wipe down everything in my cabin when we first enter it on Embarkation Day. 

4.  I wash my hands after using the bathroom. 

5.  I consider all hard surfaces contaminated. 

 

Why do I stress these points?  Because on every one of my past 10 cruises, I have witnessed passengers who pass by hand sanitizers (even when crew kindly offer it),  leave the ladies' room without washing their hands, and fail to wash hands after sneezing or coughing.  

 

As such, I consider hard surfaces to be contaminated and I act in accordance. 

 

Anyone with me on this? 

 

 

 

 

Just read a post on NCL  board about a Solo Cruises staying in the Haven who did ALL the precautionary steps you did and STILL got the virus, with very little contact with others. They basically went to the Casino and ate in the Haven Restaurant.

 

You just never know.

[spookwife]

6 hours ago, JamesEM said:

I was doing a b-2-b-2-b on the Vision, the remaining two weeks were cancelled, just received my cash refund (Yeah).  Now I'm looking to book a b-2-b, what do you think would be safest time to book my next time?

  safe is relative.  

 

 our Alaska for the end of July is paid in full and if they don't cancel it, we're going.  FTR, I am  on immunosupressive therapy.  

 

the next one we are looking at is a January out of Puerto Rico.  

 

I don't plan on doing anything different.   I wash my hands all day  anyway at home or otherwise.  my idea of a  perfect day is finding the most out of the way lounger in the shade and reading for hours on end.  we rarely use the buffet, we sit by ourselves for meals.  now that we are Diamond, I *MIGHT* skip the lounges for happy hour  and instead use the vouchers.  depends on how full the  Suite/Concierge lounge is.  

 

for every person camped out at the terminals waiting for the very first cruise to happen once the go ahead is given, there are  equal numbers who are going to stay far away for another year, or until a vaccine, whichever comes first.  

 

it all boils down to your personal comfort levels.  me, as much as I desperately want to hit the beach on Friday, I know it will be far too crowded to maintain the guidelines set forth.  so, we are waiting a week  for the PTB to make their tweaks.  however I am seriously contemplating  hitting the Zoo over the weekend( it too reopens on Friday).  

[Billy Baltic]

24 minutes ago, beerman2 said:

Just read a post on NCL  board about a Solo Cruises staying in the Haven who did ALL the precautionary steps you did and STILL got the virus, with very little contact with others. They basically went to the Casino and ate in the Haven Restaurant.

 

You just never know.

You can wash your hands all day long. It won’t make much difference if someone close to you is coughing / sneezing / breathing the virus. 

[SargassoPirate]

1 hour ago, Saturngrl said:

Before COVID-19,  the big fear on cruise ships was Norovirus.  I have, and will continue to, take consistently-serious precautions on board ship.  

 

1. I will use every hand sanitizer on board the ship when entering restaurants, the casino and wherever else available.  If the hand sanitizer is present, it's meant to be used. 

2. I carry a small container of hand sanitizer with me on board and in port, to be used before eating anything from the buffet, after using the handrails on stairs, or anywhere else needed. 

3.  I bring anti-bacterial wipes on board to wipe down everything in my cabin when we first enter it on Embarkation Day. 

4.  I wash my hands after using the bathroom. 

5.  I consider all hard surfaces contaminated. 

 

Why do I stress these points?  Because on every one of my past 10 cruises, I have witnessed passengers who pass by hand sanitizers (even when crew kindly offer it),  leave the ladies' room without washing their hands, and fail to wash hands after sneezing or coughing.  

 

As such, I consider hard surfaces to be contaminated and I act in accordance. 

 

Anyone with me on this? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm with you all the way. I've even been shamed on CC for citing such views as overkill.  We used to get sidelong glances on airplanes when we would sit down, whip out a couple of wipes, and wipe down any surface we were likely to touch.  Friends used to refuse our offer of a little squirt of hand sanitizer just before we ate - saying that no, they had washed their hands before they left home.  All those folks are singing a different tune today.

 

To answer the OP, cruising will be safe again when there is a viable vaccine in use worldwide.  I have no interest in a cruise with masks and distancing.  

[Sunshine3601]

1 hour ago, Saturngrl said:

Before COVID-19,  the big fear on cruise ships was Norovirus.  I have, and will continue to, take consistently-serious precautions on board ship.  

 

1. I will use every hand sanitizer on board the ship when entering restaurants, the casino and wherever else available.  If the hand sanitizer is present, it's meant to be used. 

2. I carry a small container of hand sanitizer with me on board and in port, to be used before eating anything from the buffet, after using the handrails on stairs, or anywhere else needed. 

3.  I bring anti-bacterial wipes on board to wipe down everything in my cabin when we first enter it on Embarkation Day. 

4.  I wash my hands after using the bathroom. 

5.  I consider all hard surfaces contaminated. 

 

Why do I stress these points?  Because on every one of my past 10 cruises, I have witnessed passengers who pass by hand sanitizers (even when crew kindly offer it),  leave the ladies' room without washing their hands, and fail to wash hands after sneezing or coughing.  

 

As such, I consider hard surfaces to be contaminated and I act in accordance. 

 

Anyone with me on this? 

 

 

 

 

Definitely!  I,too, do all of this whenever I travel.   I have watched some people use ladies room facilities wash their hands then blow their nose and open door while placing dirty tissue in their pocket.  Gross!    I always wonder do they realize what they just did!

Mens hankies have to stop too.

I think future cruises will have touchless doors for the public bathrooms and other public doors such as chops and giovannis.

[beerman2]

11 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

 

 

I'm with you all the way. I've even been shamed on CC for citing such views as overkill.  We used to get sidelong glances on airplanes when we would sit down, whip out a couple of wipes, and wipe down any surface we were likely to touch.  Friends used to refuse our offer of a little squirt of hand sanitizer just before we ate - saying that no, they had washed their hands before they left home.  All those folks are singing a different tune today.

 

To answer the OP, cruising will be safe again when there is a viable vaccine in use worldwide.  I have no interest in a cruise with masks and distancing.  

Cruising with masks and social distancing wouldn't be fun at all, curious to see how the cruise line will deal with this.

[reallyitsmema]

1 hour ago, Saturngrl said:

Before COVID-19,  the big fear on cruise ships was Norovirus.  I have, and will continue to, take consistently-serious precautions on board ship.  

 

1. I will use every hand sanitizer on board the ship when entering restaurants, the casino and wherever else available.  If the hand sanitizer is present, it's meant to be used. 

2. I carry a small container of hand sanitizer with me on board and in port, to be used before eating anything from the buffet, after using the handrails on stairs, or anywhere else needed. 

3.  I bring anti-bacterial wipes on board to wipe down everything in my cabin when we first enter it on Embarkation Day. 

4.  I wash my hands after using the bathroom. 

5.  I consider all hard surfaces contaminated. 

 

Why do I stress these points?  Because on every one of my past 10 cruises, I have witnessed passengers who pass by hand sanitizers (even when crew kindly offer it),  leave the ladies' room without washing their hands, and fail to wash hands after sneezing or coughing.  

 

As such, I consider hard surfaces to be contaminated and I act in accordance. 

 

Anyone with me on this? 

 

 

 

 

 

We take all the same precautions and still ended up with influenza A on Anthem.

[mek]

28 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

We take all the same precautions and still ended up with influenza A on Anthem.

And I have never done anything extra except wash my hands and on 65+ cruises  never come down with anything.  I'm certainly not comparing C19 to anything else we have encountered, but until I can go back on a ship and all I have to do is practice common sense hygiene, then cruising won't be for me.  No masks, gloves, social distancing - I can do that at home and not shell out $$$$'s.  If that means I relax on my patio with a tropical drink, then so be it.

Edited April 29, 2020 by mek

[zonacruiser25]

17 minutes ago, mek said:

And I have never done anything extra except wash my hands and on 65+ cruises  never come down with anything.  I'm certainly not comparing C19 to anything else we have encountered, but until I can go back on a ship and all I have to do is practice common sense hygiene, then cruising won't be for me.  No masks, gloves, social distancing - I can do that at home and not shell out $$$$'s.  If that means I relax on my patio with a tropical drink, then so be it.

Pretty much the same here.  I believe cruising will be safe and look forward to getting back.  We will have vaccines available but if history repeats, less than 50% of folks will actually get them.  We will be smart and extra cautious but don't want to go to "jail" we want to enjoy our cruises!

[reallyitsmema]

21 minutes ago, mek said:

And I have never done anything extra except wash my hands and on 65+ cruises  never come down with anything.  I'm certainly not comparing C19 to anything else we have encountered, but until I can go back on a ship and all I have to do is practice common sense hygiene, then cruising won't be for me.  No masks, gloves, social distancing - I can do that at home and not shell out $$$$'s.  If that means I relax on my patio with a tropical drink, then so be it.

 

You missed the point, people can take extra precautions and still get sick.  People can practice common sense hygiene and still get sick.  No one can say when cruising is going to be "safe" because was it really "safe" to begin with?

 

 

[Saturngrl]

Please remember one can be asyptomatic when boarding the ship (or going anywhere) and still be contagious for up to 7 days before coming down with any bug.   

 

I look forward to cruising within the next 10 months and hope you all will enjoy a cruise as well!