Reducing Capacity once cruising starts again

[oskidunker]

From what I have read( all speculation) the cruise line Will not just boot people off in the lower categories but rather seek to have spacing between cabins within a Given  category . This is interesting because with Cunard they will not want to bump,passengers in the higher paying categories, especially Grills. What do you think will happen?

 

A travel agent told me that on most future bookings the suites are all taken and the insides are wide open on most cruise lines. The thought was that when we first start cruising again , the natural selection will cause distancing. Ships may, in fact, be only booked to 50% of capacity. I could see some of the more popular cruises being booked more than that thus necessitating Some  kind of bumping.   For Cunard with only three ships, the offering may not be to everyones liking if offered a free cruise for being bumped. One would wonder what strategy would be useful when booking 2021 to avoid being bumped .Also who gets bumped first? Long time cruisers with Cunard may be bumped last or maybe not. 

 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by oskidunker

[BlueRiband]

If Cunard sails at lower capacity that means that the fares will have to increase a lot to make the operation economically viable.  50% capacity means that social distancing is in effect.  Many of the activities that I enjoy would be eliminated if at reduced capacity.     I do not want to pay a substantially higher amount of money for a greatly diminished on board experience.  (A lot of this was already debated regarding the EU "Healthy Gateways" proposal.)

 

If they "bump" passengers to reduce capacity I'll happily volunteer to be "bumped" in exchange for a full refund.  I would rather not board the ship than sail under those conditions.

[Germancruiser]

Well- at least in the beginning- when more cruise lines restart BEFORE a vaccine is found- the cruise experience will be quite different- it is either accept or not cruising at all.

Come Monday I will board the first German ship after 30 years- all my cruises where with RCI, X- or Cunard.

A cruise almost custom made for me- just sea days- nice relaxing sea days- wearing my mask while walking through the ship- no problem there- i do it in everyday life anyway!

Four nights from Hamburg to Hamburg- on board the Mein Schiff 2 - 60% capacity ONLY Germans allowed to board.- as far as I know.

As soon as the UK goverment gives the o.k. I suppose Cunard ships will do similar voyages out of Southampton- into Southamton...! With only UK citizens.

Edited July 23, 2020 by Germancruiser

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, BlueRiband said:

If Cunard sails at lower capacity that means that the fares will have to increase a lot to make the operation economically viable.  50% capacity means that social distancing is in effect.  Many of the activities that I enjoy would be eliminated if at reduced capacity.     I do not want to pay a substantially higher amount of money for a greatly diminished on board experience.  (A lot of this was already debated regarding the EU "Healthy Gateways" proposal.)

 

If they "bump" passengers to reduce capacity I'll happily volunteer to be "bumped" in exchange for a full refund.  I would rather not board the ship than sail under those conditions.

Generally agree - a higher fare for a diminished experience is not attractive.  I have already  deleted a number of cruise lines from my list because of diminished quality- meals, service, music, entertainment, itinerary, general ambience — you name it.  I like to cruise - but that means “cruise” - the way I learned to like it. There are other options for recreational travel than to put up with some shadow of how it should be.  I think it will come back - on some lines, at least - and I can wait until the lines get their act together perhaps after a vaccine is developed or the virus evolves down to nothing serious.

[oskidunker]

But if you have already booked cruises for next fall they cant increase the price. I havebtwo booked in oct nov. I imagine not many have booked that far out. If they have there is no way they can increase the price. 

Edited July 23, 2020 by oskidunker

[BlueRiband]

1 hour ago, oskidunker said:

But if you have already booked cruises for next fall they cant increase the price. I havebtwo booked in oct nov. I imagine not many have booked that far out. If they have there is no way they can increase the price. 

True that the cruise line cannot increase the price for those already booked.  However one has to decide if they will still enjoy sailing with no shared tables, no deck loungers, no ballroom dancing, closed launderettes,  closed spa, and greatly diminished capacities for afternoon tea, lectures, and performances.

[resistk]

9 hours ago, BlueRiband said:

True that the cruise line cannot increase the price for those already booked.  However one has to decide if they will still enjoy sailing with no shared tables, no deck loungers, no ballroom dancing, closed launderettes,  closed spa, and greatly diminished capacities for afternoon tea, lectures, and performances.

 

Essentially everything would be closed under social distancing rules.  It is not viable or desirable to run cruises like that. Would be OK for transportation though but even then how can you avoid lines on a passenger ship for meals three times a day? And nobody yet has a solution to cramped crew quarters and you still need the same amount of non passenger service crew.  Remember on Diamond Princess, the crew was likely one vector of virus after the ship was quarrantined.

[sogne]

slightly off main topic but have just looked at Madeira PA schedule for 22 which is probably not complete but QV is there on  23 Nov and is showing next port as Barbados

 

 

[Solent Richard]

22 hours ago, oskidunker said:

But if you have already booked cruises for next fall they cant increase the price. I havebtwo booked in oct nov. I imagine not many have booked that far out. If they have there is no way they can increase the price. 

 

I know of someone claiming  'FIVE' Cunard cruises booked which sounds incredible.

 

However, generally accepting that a 75% occupancy will still turn in a reasonable profit - or at least it did in my time in the hospitality industry - there is plenty of scope for tinkering with the numbers. 

 

Keep an eye out for the 'Rule of Threes' when the first announcement of a guaranteed cruise is made.

[siforest65]

I wonder if Cunard will shift half the passengers from QV onto QE now that are both sat in Southampton and run both in tandem at 50% capacity. Helps that the cabin layouts are nearly identical to avoid upsetting anybody.

[BlueRiband]

Sailing two ships in tandem will hardly address the other issues brought on by required social distancing.  There would be no hosted tables, large tables, captain's cocktail parties or world club parties.  The spa pool would be closed as would the launderettes.  No buffet.  (As much as these are maligned passengers do like the idea of hot food available 24/7.) 

 

There are certain fixed costs and minimum crew needed whether a ship sails at half or full capacity.  Fares necessarily would have to be higher.  That, and there is half one-board spend revenue.  (The 2021 equivalent for my cancelled Alaska cruise lists a fare 60% higher over the 2020 fare.)