Another cruise line bites the dust

[livingonthebeach]

After Pullmantur, comes another casualty.  This time it's the Swedish cruise line Birka Cruises.  Granted, these two were small cruise lines but the idea that they could only last for 3 1/2 months without revenue is a scary thing for the industry.

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/birka-cruise-line-shuts-down/

[Dennis#1]

Never heard of The Birka Cruise line.

Edited July 5, 2020 by Dennis#1

[livingonthebeach]

29 minutes ago, Dennis#1 said:

Never heard of The Birka Cruise line.

 

We are all finding out there are many cruise lines we never heard of in the past.  Now that the climate is changing in these uncertain times, we are learning things we would have otherwise overlooked.  There are a lot of other alternatives to the big 3 worldwide -- how things play out in the future should be very interesting.  

[Ourusualbeach]

It  will be interesting is to see how many of these companies that declare bankruptcy will still sail and are using this as a means to restructure as opposed to how many actually cease operations. 

[livingonthebeach]

4 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

It  will be interesting is to see how many of these companies that declare bankruptcy will still sail and are using this as a means to restructure as opposed to how many actually cease operations. 

 

You have a point.  Many retailers and restaurants will use restructuring to their advantage and resurface in a different reorganized form.  This could be true of cruise lines as well.  Only thing that worries me is, as in the case of Pullmantur, looks like all their three ships are headed to the scrapper, so if they do come back they will have 0 ships in their fleet.  They will either have to buy more ships from other lines or cease to exist.  It looks like the industry is facing a major shift, for sure.  

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

You have a point.  Many retailers and restaurants will use restructuring to their advantage and resurface in a different reorganized form.  This could be true of cruise lines as well.  Only thing that worries me is, as in the case of Pullmantur, looks like all their three ships are headed to the scrapper, so if they do come back they will have 0 ships in their fleet.  They will either have to buy more ships from other lines or cease to exist.  It looks like the industry is facing a major shift, for sure.  

With regards to Pulmantur there were already plans in the works for Grandeur to move over there.  It would not surprise me to see the rest of the Vision  class Head there.  Win/ Win. Royal gets rid of excess capacity, Pulmantur gets newer ships 

Edited July 5, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[soremekun]

Can we move this thread to the Birka Cruises section?   Oh, wait....

[coaster]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

With regards to Pulmantur there were already plans in the works for Grandeur to move over there.  It would not surprise me to see the rest of the Vision  class Head there.  Win/ Win. Royal gets rid of excess capacity, Pulmantur gets newer ships 

Some of us like Vision class. Why you feel it is a win/win for those of us who like variety? 

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, coaster said:

Some of us like Vision class. Why you feel it is a win/win for those of us who like variety? 

Its a Win for Royal and Pulmantur.  I never said it was a win for the consumer. 
 

like it or not because of this pandemic Royal has excess berth capacity.  It will be the oldest ships to go first. 

[coaster]

Some of the older ships will be easier to fill as capacity is less. I disagree that only newer ships will return,

[Ourusualbeach]

8 minutes ago, coaster said:

Some of the older ships will be easier to fill as capacity is less. I disagree that only newer ships will return,

Newer ships are more efficient and cost less per passenger to operate.

[John&LaLa]

21 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Newer ships are more efficient and cost less per passenger to operate.

 

Plus its the direction Fain implies they are going.

The days of appeasing everyone are likely gone. Time to make Royal family only I guess

[Ourusualbeach]

11 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Plus its the direction Fain implies they are going.

The days of appeasing everyone are likely gone. Time to make Royal family only I guess

It’s looking that way.  It was going there anyway...this just sped up the timeline by a few years..There are still lots without kids that like the newer ships, families or not. 

Edited July 5, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[John&LaLa]

4 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

It’s looking that way.  It was going there anyway...this just sped up the timeline by a few years..There are still lots without kids that like the newer ships, families or not. 

 

Count me in that group

[Ourusualbeach]

3 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Count me in that group

Us as well....March break 2022, first cruise without the kids and we are booked on the Symphony, although we did splurge for a bit nicer cabin.😎

[jerseyjjs]

54 minutes ago, coaster said:

Some of the older ships will be easier to fill as capacity is less. I disagree that only newer ships will return,

 

 

That's the point.  It's basically impossible to sail a vessel at full capacity and maintain social distancing.  Having Oasis class sail with 2,000 or so would much more compliant to covid procedures.

[Milwaukee Eight]

What’s wrong with kids?  I’ve seen adults behave badly. 😇

[centurycruiser]

After 911 several small cruise lines declared bankruptcy.  Major cruise lines lowered their fares and took market share from smaller lines. They couldn't compete. We can only hope the cdc relaxes their requirements before they bankrupt the majors.

The cdc has not been right on any of this. 14 days has ended up being 120 days with no end in sight. They provided corrupted tests and samples and each decision by the "experts" seems more like a guess than anything scientific. I don't believe they really know anymore than you or me.

[Fin Cruiser]

8 hours ago, livingonthebeach said:

After Pullmantur, comes another casualty.  This time it's the Swedish cruise line Birka Cruises.  Granted, these two were small cruise lines but the idea that they could only last for 3 1/2 months without revenue is a scary thing for the industry.

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/birka-cruise-line-shuts-down/

It's Finnish.. It did cruises from Mariehamn to Stockholm.

Edited July 6, 2020 by Fin Cruiser

[Merion_Mom]

32 minutes ago, centurycruiser said:

After 911 several small cruise lines declared bankruptcy.  Major cruise lines lowered their fares and took market share from smaller lines. They couldn't compete. We can only hope the cdc relaxes their requirements before they bankrupt the majors.

The cdc has not been right on any of this. 14 days has ended up being 120 days with no end in sight. They provided corrupted tests and samples and each decision by the "experts" seems more like a guess than anything scientific. I don't believe they really know anymore than you or me.

 

Oh please.  Not this crap again.

 

I do NOT want the CDC to "relax their requirements".  I want a safe and healthy environment, if the cruise ships go out again.

 

 

  🙄

[npcl]

36 minutes ago, centurycruiser said:

After 911 several small cruise lines declared bankruptcy.  Major cruise lines lowered their fares and took market share from smaller lines. They couldn't compete. We can only hope the cdc relaxes their requirements before they bankrupt the majors.

The cdc has not been right on any of this. 14 days has ended up being 120 days with no end in sight. They provided corrupted tests and samples and each decision by the "experts" seems more like a guess than anything scientific. I don't believe they really know anymore than you or me.

CDC is not the only government agency stopping cruise ships from sailing.

 

Almost every major country is currently banning large cruise ships. Canada - banned,Australia - banned, New Zealand - banned, EU same.South America countries - same.

 

Seems llike the CDC has a lot of company.

[twangster]

Few businesses can last months with no income.  More cruise lines will follow suit.  Eventually the impact will move up the food chain to bigger and bigger lines.  Tick tock.  Tick tock.  

[tomatosauce]

Pullmantur cruises started by selling cruises run by other companies. They also have a history of leasing or laying up their ships during winter so a lack of ships may not be the problem it first appears to be.

[ONECRUISER]

13 hours ago, centurycruiser said:

After 911 several small cruise lines declared bankruptcy.  Major cruise lines lowered their fares and took market share from smaller lines. They couldn't compete. We can only hope the cdc relaxes their requirements before they bankrupt the majors.

The cdc has not been right on any of this. 14 days has ended up being 120 days with no end in sight. They provided corrupted tests and samples and each decision by the "experts" seems more like a guess than anything scientific. I don't believe they really know anymore than you or me.

Cheapest Royal Cruises I ever took were during period Oct2001-May2002, no Single supplements, paid for 2 of them with coins I rolled for Change Jar. One was $9(plus $50 port) on a 5 niter...

[scpirate]

18 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

What’s wrong with kids?  I’ve seen adults behave badly. 😇

That's very true but you have to love your kids the rest of us don't.