IONA Maiden Voyage G024?

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

I wasn't suggesting that I would, but some people do judge others by the TV programmes they watch.

Personally, I'm a "Law & Order" and "Chicago PD" chap.

Good grief wowzz, something we have in common.

[mercury7289]

55 minutes ago, Baolua said:

Food for thought and What the vast majority of people forget is that social distancing is not law but only guidance. So in theory UK cruise lines do not have to change anything on board a ship!!

Not law, but common sense. UK style!

[Adawn47]

2 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Good grief wowzz, something we have in common.

That's 3 of us. Not all women are into soaps or reality TV. 

Avril 

[Scratchrat]

On 6/12/2020 at 10:05 AM, mercury7289 said:

Had any luck, in finding these possible interesteing reports?

No 😞

[Evelyn9597]

Hi, I wonder if any of you very knowledgeable people can help me.

 

I’m booked on this cruise (G024) and the balance is due next week. I’ve asked the travel agent I booked with, if they know what would happen if quarantine restrictions are NOT likely to be lifted by 24th October. Ie, can we get any kind of a refund if we cancel close to sailing?

Like most people on board, we need to get back to work on the Monday after, therefore should I just cancel this cruise (or rebook another 2021 cruise - at much greater cost!)?  It’s a bit risky - I can’t afford to lose the entire cruise fare, but can swallow losing the deposit. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

[wowzz]

14 minutes ago, Evelyn9597 said:

Hi, I wonder if any of you very knowledgeable people can help me.

 

I’m booked on this cruise (G024) and the balance is due next week. I’ve asked the travel agent I booked with, if they know what would happen if quarantine restrictions are NOT likely to be lifted by 24th October. Ie, can we get any kind of a refund if we cancel close to sailing?

Like most people on board, we need to get back to work on the Monday after, therefore should I just cancel this cruise (or rebook another 2021 cruise - at much greater cost!)?  It’s a bit risky - I can’t afford to lose the entire cruise fare, but can swallow losing the deposit. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

Personally I think quarantine restrictions will be lifted by then.

If they are still in force, I would have thought that the FCO advice against foreign travel would also be in force, in which case, P&O would have to cancel, as everyone's insurance policy would be invalid.

If quarantine restrictions are still in force, but the advice against travel has been lifted, it is entirely possible that the cruuse may go ahead, and you will not have the option to cancel.

My own thoughts are that the issues around quarantine and restrictions on foreign travel will have been removed by the time of your cruise. The real deciding factor will then be if the cruise lines have persuaded the government that the measures they have taken  on board are sufficient,  mean that cruising is declared  "safe".  

[Scratchrat]

31 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Personally I think quarantine restrictions will be lifted by then.

If they are still in force, I would have thought that the FCO advice against foreign travel would also be in force, in which case, P&O would have to cancel, as everyone's insurance policy would be invalid.

If quarantine restrictions are still in force, but the advice against travel has been lifted, it is entirely possible that the cruuse may go ahead, and you will not have the option to cancel.

My own thoughts are that the issues around quarantine and restrictions on foreign travel will have been removed by the time of your cruise. The real deciding factor will then be if the cruise lines have persuaded the government that the measures they have taken  on board are sufficient,  mean that cruising is declared  "safe".  

 

My theory is this:

 

Up until Christmas, there will be changes on the ships for sure, but they will sail.

 

Capacity will be cut, most likely from the cheaper cabins (evidently), self-service buffet will instead be served to you, cafeteria style. 

 

Water fountains will be removed/turned off with water accessible only for filling bottles.

 

Hand washing/sanitiser areas through out the ships.

 

Perspex screens to protect staff and food.

 

Limited capacity for tenders/shows etc and spaced out seating.

[zoe sproodle]

1 hour ago, Evelyn9597 said:

Hi, I wonder if any of you very knowledgeable people can help me.

 

I’m booked on this cruise (G024) and the balance is due next week. I’ve asked the travel agent I booked with, if they know what would happen if quarantine restrictions are NOT likely to be lifted by 24th October. Ie, can we get any kind of a refund if we cancel close to sailing?

Like most people on board, we need to get back to work on the Monday after, therefore should I just cancel this cruise (or rebook another 2021 cruise - at much greater cost!)?  It’s a bit risky - I can’t afford to lose the entire cruise fare, but can swallow losing the deposit. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

Are you sure your balance is due next week?  We are booked on G024 and the balance is due on 26 July.  We were discussing what we'd do if the quarantine is still in place and like you would need to get back to work, I could probably push to another week off but not an additional 2.  We're hoping by the near end of July that there might have been some more positive developments.

[jake 26]

24 minutes ago, Scratchrat said:

 

My theory is this:

 

Up until Christmas, there will be changes on the ships for sure, but they will sail.

 

Capacity will be cut, most likely from the cheaper cabins (evidently), self-service buffet will instead be served to you, cafeteria style. 

 

Water fountains will be removed/turned off with water accessible only for filling bottles.

 

Hand washing/sanitiser areas through out the ships.

 

Perspex screens to protect staff and food.

 

Limited capacity for tenders/shows etc and spaced out seating.

 

I don't believe cruising will recommence until the WHO declares the end of the pandemic, which probably be March at the earliest given the massive surge in cases in Latin America.

People move around the world and spread the virus, as demonstrated this week by two women from the UK flying to NZ and testing positive, the first new cases in NZ for 24 days.

It would be folly to start cruising if there is a risk of another outbreak as on the Princess ships. It would wreck the industry.

 

[Scratchrat]

1 hour ago, jake 26 said:

 

I don't believe cruising will recommence until the WHO declares the end of the pandemic, which probably be March at the earliest given the massive surge in cases in Latin America.

People move around the world and spread the virus, as demonstrated this week by two women from the UK flying to NZ and testing positive, the first new cases in NZ for 24 days.

It would be folly to start cruising if there is a risk of another outbreak as on the Princess ships. It would wreck the industry.

 

 

WHO can make recommendations true but they aren't a law making organisation.

 

Individual countries can decide their own rules and the UK government have already pledged support to the cruise industry, ports are already reopening and many lines are due to set sail in the next 6 weeks.

 

Disney World is reopening on 11th July, Universal Studios theme park resort is already back open.

 

If a cruise port decides not to open due to the virus, P&O can just cancel the port/change it.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Scratchrat said:

If a cruise port decides not to open due to the virus, P&O can just cancel the port/change it.

Changing a port is not that easy, especially when other cruise lines will be experiencing the same issue. And if a cruise only has 2 ports of call, rather than 5 or 6, many people will be disappointed.

[Scratchrat]

10 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Changing a port is not that easy, especially when other cruise lines will be experiencing the same issue. And if a cruise only has 2 ports of call, rather than 5 or 6, many people will be disappointed.

Let them be!

 

I cruise for the ship and the sea, not the ports.

[wowzz]

17 minutes ago, Scratchrat said:

Let them be!

 

I cruise for the ship and the sea, not the ports.

To a certain extent, I would agree. But a 14 day cruise with, say, only 2 ports, especially in Northern Europe in the winter, is not exactly appealing. 12 days at sea in the cold and rain is not much fun.     

[jake 26]

1 hour ago, Scratchrat said:

 

WHO can make recommendations true but they aren't a law making organisation.

 

Individual countries can decide their own rules and the UK government have already pledged support to the cruise industry, ports are already reopening and many lines are due to set sail in the next 6 weeks.

 

Disney World is reopening on 11th July, Universal Studios theme park resort is already back open.

 

If a cruise port decides not to open due to the virus, P&O can just cancel the port/change it.

 

I can't see any country deciding to ignore the recommendations of the World Health Organisation in favour of the cruise industry. Carnival (and thus P&O) have committed to abide by the decisions of the CDC and WHO.

 

Theme parks can easily put in place Covid measures in the same way as supermarkets have adapted their procedures to minimise the threat of contagion. Very difficult on a large cruise ship.

 

I really think commonsense will prevail and , as the CEO of Carnival recently said, they would prefer to be seen as the lower risk holiday choice rather than retain the reputation of being high risk following the Princess debacles. 

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, Scratchrat said:

Let them be!

 

I cruise for the ship and the sea, not the ports.

I think you might be in a fairly small minority.  I doubt the cruise industry would attract enough customers to survive on that basis.

[Scratchrat]

20 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

I think you might be in a fairly small minority.  I doubt the cruise industry would attract enough customers to survive on that basis.

I may well be in the minority but as people are learning more and more, ignoring minorities is silly!

 

Lots of people book Carnival's "cruise to nowhere" options with no ports and my family LOVE their transatlantics

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, Scratchrat said:

I may well be in the minority but as people are learning more and more, ignoring minorities is silly!

 

Lots of people book Carnival's "cruise to nowhere" options with no ports and my family LOVE their transatlantics

I agree about the importance of minorities, but P&O need to find around 25,000 pax a week - the minority needs to be a substantial number to make cruises profitable.

 

Cruises to nowhere, from US ports, have been illegal since April 2016.

[mickrory]

Hurtigruten have already started cruising again for Norwegian and Danish customer but I can't realistically see any of the mainstream cruise companies sailing in 2020 with the Covid19 death rate still so high in the US and UK.

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

I think you might be in a fairly small minority.  I doubt the cruise industry would attract enough customers to survive on that basis.

We also cruise for the ship and being at sea, but we do like a reasonable number of ports, and preferably ones with easy wheelchair access and a nice flat promenade with plenty of side walk cafes.

[DamianG]

6 hours ago, Scratchrat said:

 

My theory is this:

 

Up until Christmas, there will be changes on the ships for sure, but they will sail.

 

Capacity will be cut, most likely from the cheaper cabins (evidently), self-service buffet will instead be served to you, cafeteria style. 

 

Water fountains will be removed/turned off with water accessible only for filling bottles.

 

Hand washing/sanitiser areas through out the ships.

 

Perspex screens to protect staff and food.

 

Limited capacity for tenders/shows etc and spaced out seating.

 

Just a small point but with regards to your comment "Water fountains will be removed/turned off with water accessible only for filling bottles" this is already not allowed on P&O ships. That said, doubtless we've all seen passengers filling bottles from water dispensers, even when there is sign on the machine asking passengers not to do this! It's unhygienic at the best of times.

[Evelyn9597]

Thanks for all the replies - I seem to have started quite a big debate!
 

Anyway, to the person who said - am I sure it’s 26th June for balance. I’m fairly certain, I had an email from cruise.co.uk which gives this date. 

 

i think we’ll probably pay the balance. I can’t honestly see the cruise going ahead, but IF it does, I think the quarantine restrictions will have been lifted (fingers crossed). 
 

It’s a bit of a gamble, but the thought of sailing on Iona’s maiden voyage is quite appealing - especially if not at full capacity!

 

Thanks again everyone. 

[DamianG]

In our pre-parenting days we always used to share dinner tables and loved the social aspect. Now that we travel with our son and (usually) in-laws we get a table to ourselves and rarely get to socialise with other passengers. We've got used to it so whilst I can understand concern about cruising not being the same with reduced interaction between passengers I believe in people's ability to adapt and make the best of it. Everyone will have to decide for themselves whether social distancing requirements are a deal breaker (e.g. for a solo traveler as Denarius has said) or not.

[zoe sproodle]

23 minutes ago, Evelyn9597 said:

Thanks for all the replies - I seem to have started quite a big debate!
 

Anyway, to the person who said - am I sure it’s 26th June for balance. I’m fairly certain, I had an email from cruise.co.uk which gives this date. 

 

i think we’ll probably pay the balance. I can’t honestly see the cruise going ahead, but IF it does, I think the quarantine restrictions will have been lifted (fingers crossed). 
 

It’s a bit of a gamble, but the thought of sailing on Iona’s maiden voyage is quite appealing - especially if not at full capacity!

 

Thanks again everyone. 

That was me that mentioned the balance due date, sorry for any confusion. We booked direct with P & O and our payment date is 26 Jul, however if you booked through a TA then I can understand if your date is different.  

[Evelyn9597]

10 minutes ago, zoe sproodle said:

That was me that mentioned the balance due date, sorry for any confusion. We booked direct with P & O and our payment date is 26 Jul, however if you booked through a TA then I can understand if your date is different.  

Hi, yes I think you’re right. I wish our balance WAS due on 26th July - it would give us some breathing space!

[boogybaby]

Have you asked your TA for an extension to final payment, it’s better for them if you keep your cruise and a few weeks may make all the difference to how you feel