SS Future Re-Open Plan: Timing, Testing Needs??!!

[crusinbanjo]

5 minutes ago, Lois R said:

Not sure what the PCC? Is? Personal Cruise Consultant? Not sure why they said SS still requires a test....either they are incorrect or the updated information on the website is incorrect. It is dated 9/26 so that was just earlier this week.

 

I am sailing out of Canada on 10/22 and it states on line, testing is no longer required for fully vaxxed guests. And as of today Canada no longer requires anything either. The ArriveCan has been lifted as well as testing.

That is the IT we were looking to book.  My previous post I added a screenshot of what SS sent me.  I would love to be wrong on this.

[Lois R]

Just now, crusinbanjo said:

That is the IT we were looking to book.  My previous post I added a screenshot of what SS sent me.  I would love to be wrong on this.

 

Whoever you spoke with? I would contact them about it......the font is too small on that screenshot and I can't see all of what you posted. But if you look on the SS website?  It specifically states what I copied and pasted......... 

[crusinbanjo]

5 minutes ago, Lois R said:

 

Whoever you spoke with? I would contact them about it......the font is too small on that screenshot and I can't see all of what you posted. But if you look on the SS website?  It specifically states what I copied and pasted......... 

thanks Lois, I will go back and challenge my SS consultant.  Sorry the screenshot came out so small, but it is also from the SS website and lists all of the Whisper IT’s and clearly stated the drop in Canada restrictions, but still the required testing for boarding.  I’m so confused, maybe we get lucky on this one and will see you on board.

[Lois R]

9 minutes ago, crusinbanjo said:

thanks Lois, I will go back and challenge my SS consultant.  Sorry the screenshot came out so small, but it is also from the SS website and lists all of the Whisper IT’s and clearly stated the drop in Canada restrictions, but still the required testing for boarding.  I’m so confused, maybe we get lucky on this one and will see you on board.

I will buy you a drink😀.....

 

Seriously, if you click on the "Healthy Sailing" link on the front page of the website and scroll down, you can see where it says "Areas of Focus" about testing and vaxxes. I don't know what information your consultant was referring to.......I really think they are wrong.........let us know what they tell you.

[Stumblefoot]

4 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

No offense to Stumblefoot intended!

😂 No offense taken, Banjo.

[jpalbny]

10 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

thanks Lois, I will go back and challenge my SS consultant.  Sorry the screenshot came out so small, but it is also from the SS website and lists all of the Whisper IT’s and clearly stated the drop in Canada restrictions, but still the required testing for boarding.  I’m so confused, maybe we get lucky on this one and will see you on board.

 

The requirements change so rapidly. I suspect that the SS website just hasn't caught up.

 

This is from the official Canadian website. It clearly says that pre-cruise testing is no longer required as of today. 

 

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid?utm_campaign=gac-amc-covidoct1-22-23&utm_source=covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada&utm_medium=redirect&utm_content=en

 

Hope you go on the cruise and enjoy it!

[crusinbanjo]

On 10/1/2022 at 9:58 AM, Lois R said:

I will buy you a drink😀.....

 

Seriously, if you click on the "Healthy Sailing" link on the front page of the website and scroll down, you can see where it says "Areas of Focus" about testing and vaxxes. I don't know what information your consultant was referring to.......I really think they are wrong.........let us know what they tell you.

Turns out you were right Lois.  I challenged my rep and got an email response last night.  So, assuming our suite is still available, we will be on board on October 22

[Lois R]

2 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

Turns out you were right Lois.  I challenged my rep and got an email response last night.  So, assuming our suite is still available, we will be on board on October 22

Great news😀 hope we can meet!!!

[jpalbny]

2 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

assuming our suite is still available, we will be on board on October 22

 

Happy cruising, banjo!

[crusinbanjo]

No suite assignment, but we are assured one will be assigned in the next few days.   Weeeoooo, happy to be back to cruising!

[tosteve1]

Now if Greece would only get its act together before we board in 8 days…

[TLCOhio]

From the Miami Herald and MSN News this morning, they had this headline: “Fall cruises available at rock-bottom prices as cruise lines work their way back to profitability” with these highlights: “Multi-night cruises for the price of a single night in a luxury hotel? Cruise lines, still struggling to pull themselves back into profitability   Gene Sloan, who operates a popular booking site, thepointsguy.com, said by email that many of the cheap fares break down to less than $30, $40 or $50 per person per day, 'which is not all that common.'  'These deals are as good as I’ve seen in a long time,' Sloan said.”

 

For this fall, there are lots of cruise bargains out there.  Not sure exactly what Silversea is offering right now. Do they have many good deals now for their fall offerings? Also shared in this reporting is: "Adding so much inventory in such a short period of time caused lines to reduce prices to boost occupancy and hope that onboard spending by passengers on drinks, gambling, excursions, and specialty restaurants would make up the difference."

 

Where will the bargains and options be for early 2023 and later next year?

 

Full story at:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/fall-cruises-available-at-rock-bottom-prices-as-cruise-lines-work-their-way-back-to-profitability/ar-AA12MN3k

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 255,363 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[tosteve1]

Greece has dropped pre-cruise testing for fully vaccinated passengers! Yee-haw!

[rkacruiser]

8 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

ope that onboard spending by passengers on drinks, gambling, excursions, and specialty restaurants would make up the difference."

 

It's my understanding that onboard spending has been very robust.  

[tosteve1]

Onboard Spirit now. No testing required if fully vaccinated. We both tested voluntarily prior to boarding though. Masks are rare onboard or on tour buses. No mention of masking or testing on board yet at all. We are both fully vaxxed and feel safe. The weather is beautiful here and hopefully we will spend most of our time outdoors to further mitigate our risk.

[crusinbanjo]

On 10/10/2022 at 9:01 AM, TLCOhio said:

From the Miami Herald and MSN News this morning, they had this headline: “Fall cruises available at rock-bottom prices as cruise lines work their way back to profitability” with these highlights: “Multi-night cruises for the price of a single night in a luxury hotel? Cruise lines, still struggling to pull themselves back into profitability   Gene Sloan, who operates a popular booking site, thepointsguy.com, said by email that many of the cheap fares break down to less than $30, $40 or $50 per person per day, 'which is not all that common.'  'These deals are as good as I’ve seen in a long time,' Sloan said.”

 

For this fall, there are lots of cruise bargains out there.  Not sure exactly what Silversea is offering right now. Do they have many good deals now for their fall offerings? 

 

Where will the bargains and options be for early 2023 and later next year?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 255,363 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Well Terry, SS didn’t give Mrs Banjo and I any super low price for our last minute booking.  But, having said that, we are still very happy to be “back in the saddle again”. 

[TLCOhio]

On 10/13/2022 at 10:31 AM, tosteve1 said:

Onboard Spirit now. No testing required if fully vaccinated. We both tested voluntarily prior to boarding though. Masks are rare onboard or on tour buses. No mention of masking or testing on board yet at all. We are both fully vaxxed and feel safe. The weather is beautiful here and hopefully we will spend most of our time outdoors to further mitigate our risk.

 

Appreciate this update and follow-up.  Are you in the Med now off of the Turkey Coast? Great area!!  Smart to be spending a maximum amount of time outside, etc.  

 

Any added info as to the fullness of passengers on the ship, how shore excursions are going, quality and level of service, food and staffing, etc.?  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[TLCOhio]

23 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

Well Terry, SS didn’t give Mrs Banjo and I any super low price for our last minute booking.  But, having said that, we are still very happy to be “back in the saddle again”. 

 

To Mr. Banjo, sorry about not getting any super low prices for your upcoming Silversea cruise.  Not surprised!!  Silversea has not, even before Covid hit, done major discounts late in order to fill up the ship.  That's more what the major "mass-market" brands have done and are offering now.  

 

My understanding of the business is that the luxury lines have higher margins and can get away with not needing to sail full or at close to capacity.  For bigger ships and mass-market lines such as Carnival, they make much of their profit margin off of over-priced drinks, tours, spa, casinos, etc.  For the higher-end lines, many of those "extras" are not their prime profit source.  Their pricing for the mostly-inclusive cruise is much higher.  Different markets, varied audiences, shifting profit models, economic models that change, etc.  Luxury versus mass-market!!  Right?  Or, am I missing something?  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 245,178 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[TLCOhio]

As the cruise industry seeks to get "back to normal", one of the questions related to where can we go.  In several areas, a few (including Key West) have sought to ban or limit cruise ship visit, numbers, etc.    

 

From the Wall Street Journal this past weekend, they had this headline: “Maine’s Bar Harbor Debates Saying No to Big Cruise-Ship Crowds" with this sub-headline: "Ballot measure in tourist town would limit number of cruise visitors that some locals say have become overwhelming.”

 

Here are a few of their reporting highlights: “Voters in Bar Harbor, Maine, are set to soon decide whether to turn back incoming waves of cruise passengers.  If the ballot question passes on Nov. 8, it would require Bar Harbor to limit the number of disembarking cruise-ship passengers to 1,000 a day. Today, ships with a capacity of roughly 4,000 guests regularly anchor there, sending thousands of people into the small downtown’s streets or vehicles bound for nearby Acadia National Park.  Some days feature multiple ships of varying sizes. Charles Sidman, a 72-year-old investor behind the citizen’s petition, said cruising passengers are clogging the small town of roughly 5,200 people and have become off-putting for locals and visitors alike.  The cruise volume is typically heaviest in September and October as leaf peepers arrive to see the heavily forested state’s colorful foliage. And numbers have been growing, with the ships back in force—167 are expected to call on Bar Harbor this year, and there are sometimes multiple ships a day.”

 

A variety of pro/con aspects are detailed in this story.  They also noted that also in Maine, voters in Portland, the state’s largest city, are to vote in early November er on a referendum to limit the number of cruise passengers at 1,000 a day. 

 

Having previously visited via a land trip to Bar Harbor, it is a wonderful and charming town.   Plus, many great, nearby scenic and exciting options.  BUT, when a 4,000 passenger ship hits this port, I can understand the mix of love and hate opinions.  Reactions? 

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/maines-bar-harbor-debates-saying-no-to-big-cruise-ship-crowds-11665799486?mod=hp_lead_pos9

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 238,769 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

[rkacruiser]

On 10/17/2022 at 10:34 AM, TLCOhio said:

BUT, when a 4,000 passenger ship hits this port, I can understand the mix of love and hate opinions.  Reactions? 

 

Are you aware of what the citizens of Key West have tried to do in response to your question?  

[QueSeraSera]

On 10/17/2022 at 10:34 AM, TLCOhio said:

Bar Harbor, it is a wonderful and charming town.  

As are the other towns that surround it.  When our kids were growing up, we could take them to this part of the country, where their grandparents on one side lived for generations, & have great summer vacations.  The memories continue to this day around holiday get togethers, etc.  

So the question is up to these towns and counties, I think.  If they choose to limit the number of visitors, I suggest we respect their reasons and book our excursions early!

[TLCOhio]

19 hours ago, QueSeraSera said:

As are the other towns that surround it.  When our kids were growing up, we could take them to this part of the country, where their grandparents on one side lived for generations, & have great summer vacations.  So the question is up to these towns and counties, I think.  If they choose to limit the number of visitors, I suggest we respect their reasons and book our excursions early!

 

Agree that there a wide range of nice options in and around Bar Harbour.  Wonderful region!!  Also, yes, have followed the "battles" down in Key West over cruises, their impacts, etc.  Love the Keys!!  Down there earlier this year.  Great comments and follow-ups by QueSeraSera and our SW Ohio neighbor.  

 

From the Washington Post earlier this week, they had this headline: “Next covid wave could be on a collision course with holiday travel" with this sub-headline: "Coronavirus surges in Europe and Asia could soon come to the U.S. — and inject chaos into your travel plans.”

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “The summer of 2022 delivered on predictions that it would be the season of 'revenge travel,' with countries dropping coronavirus restrictions, passengers filling up long-haul flights and cruise ships, and demand soaring to levels not seen since 2019.  With the winter holidays approaching, that demand shows no signs of slowing down. Still, the coronavirus has remained persistent, scuttling long-awaited plans, straining the travel industry’s workforce and making many summer trips turn hellish. Now, health experts are warning that another winter surge could be ahead, with cases already rising in Europe and researchers keeping an eye on new strains of the virus.”

 

Is this too negative of a view?  Here is more from their reporting: "Vaccination rates for the new bivalent booster are lagging. As of early October, only about 4 percent of eligible Americans had received the new shot.  Signs point to a surge in Europe, which could foretell another winter wave in the United States. Cases rose by 104 percent in Portugal and 42 percent in Switzerland over the past week, while the virus has also surged in Germany, France, Italy and Austria.  Coronavirus cases are also up in parts of Asia, including South Korea, Taiwan and Japan, which have dropped most of their travel restrictions in recent months."

 

Part of the point raised is that a winter coronavirus uptick would put pressure on airports and airlines.  And, cruises??  This ties with a concern about regular flu coming back in larger numbers as more people are now "out-and-about", etc., compared to the past two winters during the Covid shut-downs.   Personally, last Saturday, I had my fifth Covid vaccination shot.  Plus, earlier had my flu shot.  Hopefully, I will better than average with my protections.  Maybe??

 

In this detailed report, they wisely urge for travelers to build in more flexibility into your itinerary in case you do test positive for Covid during your travels. 

 

Full story at:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/10/17/covid-wave-holiday-travel/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio 

 

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!  Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture.  This posting is now at 98,155 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[TLCOhio]

From this major newspaper in Australia today, they had this headline: “‘A lot has changed’: Covid-19 infected cruise ship sails on down WA coast" with this sub-headline: "A cruise ship with about 2000 people on-board is continuing to sail through Australian waters and will disembark in WA, despite a Covid-19 outbreak.”

 

Here are a few of their reporting highlights: “Western Australia’s tourism minister has played down fears about a Covid-19 outbreak on-board the Coral Princess cruise ship.  It is understood up to 100 people among the 2000 on-board may be infected with the virus as the vessel makes its way down the coast from Broome to Geraldton. It departed Sydney on October 11.  'I don’t believe it represents an unnecessary risk to people onshore and we will obviously benefit from having them come to WA to spend their tourism dollars,' Tourism Minister Cook told reporters on Tuesday.   He denied it was a case of history repeating itself following the infamous Ruby Princess outbreak in 2020 off Sydney and the subsequent ship outbreaks off the WA coast.”

 

Australia has opened back up for the first time, along with New Zealand, earlier this year.  It will be interesting to see how they "manage" these outbreaks and answer these policy questions.  Western Australia was the last area in that country to allow cruise ships to visit again.

 

Full story at:

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/a-lot-has-changed-covid19-infected-cruise-ship-sails-on-down-wa-coast/news-story/b077aff1a7281a4ba213751077cb6fec

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio   

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 70,597 views:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

[TLCOhio]

From MSN News yesterday, they had this headline: “What you can expect if you get COVID-19 on a cruise ship” with these highlights: “With travel restrictions easing, cruise ships lifting their COVID-19 vaccine and masking requirements, and some cruise ships quite crowded, it begs the question: What happens if you contract the virus during your time aboard the ship?  Insider spoke with Matt Hochberg who has been on hundreds of cruises and runs a website called RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com that shares travel tips and advice for those interested in booking a cruise. The website has no affiliation with the cruise line of the same name.”

 

Interesting background provided by this reporting.  This includes: "While contracting COVID can happen anywhere, Hochberg's advice for those boarding a cruise is to be aware of the cruise line's policies and risks.  Depending on when you booked your cruise, passengers on Royal Caribbean ships will have access to varying COVID-19 assistance at no extra charge. For guests who made a reservation on or after August 8, 2022, Royal Caribbean will cover the costs of COVID-19-related medical treatments onboard if you test positive.  The company will also offer a pro-rated cruise fare refund if a cruise is cut short for reasons related to COVID-19, for cruises departing on or before September 30, 2022."

 

These policies and practices vary, depending on the cruise line and your timing, etc.  Check, plan and know ahead!!   If you get Covid while out at sea, sailing, etc., you might not be properly prepared in order to navigate those "choppy seas" when dealing with this challenging medical conditions.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/heres-what-you-can-expect-if-you-get-covid-19-on-a-cruise-ship-according-to-a-royal-caribbean-passenger-who-was-given-the-option-to-quarantine-on-the-ship-even-after-the-cruise-ended/ar-AA13psuO

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 53,294 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

These policies and practices vary, depending on the cruise line and your timing, etc.  Check, plan and know ahead!!   If you get Covid while out at sea, sailing, etc., you might not be properly prepared in order to navigate those "choppy seas" when dealing with this challenging medical conditions.

 

Very good advice!  There have been numerous recounts on a variety of CC message boards about those who have contracted Covid during a cruise.  One couple last Winter was on a multiple back to back cruises.  One of them became positive, put in quarantine, and when the ship returned to Port Everglades they were transferred to a hotel and in quarantine until the ship returned from its next cruise.  Testing negative, they rejoined the ship and continued their series of cruises without issue.  

 

Because of this, and they are now on a long cruise, they avoid groups of any size and do not socialize with other guests as usual.  For me, that would not be a mind-set/situation that I would enjoy.