When Will We Feel Safe to Cruise Again

[mcrcruiser]

 We hear that a covid 19  vaccine  could be out by the end of October 2020 .  If it is considered safe by doctors ,it may still take awhile to reach most people  .to start first responders get the first doses ,then  the elderly nursing home patients ,followed by the elderly in high risk levels .  Next available to all people . 

 

  What is your thinking when it comes to  taking a safe vaccine & the protocol   for added safety before boarding the ship .Also ,what about going on tours in foreign ports ?  What will you need to feel safe & cruise once again ?  

 

  All replies are very welcome .We all need to understand our choices (We are booked  Jan15 ,2022 Mexican Riviera cruise on Majestic Princess )

[Outerdog]

"vaccine thread" is the new "smoking thread"...

[patrickmoran]

Let's cruise baby! I'm going as soon as the 1st ship sails.

[edspec]

Agree with patrickmoran. Would go anywhere, no restrictions, leaving tomorrow if possible. I have no fear re Covid.

[voljeep]

22 minutes ago, patrickmoran said:

Let's cruise baby! I'm going as soon as the 1st ship sails.

 

3 minutes ago, edspec said:

Agree with patrickmoran. Would go anywhere, no restrictions, leaving tomorrow if possible. I have no fear re Covid.

so, you both would agree to all the potential restrictions ?

masks at all time except eating/drinking

staggered boarding times strictly enforced

hand washing strictly enforced

social distancing, even if it meant missing shows

elevators limited to only passengers cruising together

severe port restrictions for cruise ship only excursions

 

what else

 

even with the above - sign us up also

[chipmaster]

When will it be safer, seriously, 2022 baby.

When will we be able to cruise from the US, likely middle of 2021.

[mcrcruiser]

imo the cruise lines will have to have strong protocols in place even with the vaccine . Reason I  say this is because if many  people avoid the  vaccine , the virus can mutate again & those who have been vaccinated would still be in danger  .

 

 We all want to cruise ;but ,cruise safely  is a priority .  Right now the virus spreads very quickly  frpm those least effected to those most effected with age & underlying medical problems .The cruise lines must get back the older cruisers who have the time &  means to take  the longer cruises .

[voljeep]

1 minute ago, mcrcruiser said:

The cruise lines must get back the older cruisers who have the time &  means to take  the longer cruises .

eventually, I agree

 

sometimes business  models need to adapt to current situations to survive

[mcrcruiser]

5 minutes ago, chipmaster said:

When will it be safer, seriously, 2022 baby.

When will we be able to cruise from the US, likely middle of 2021.

We think that if the vaccine safely works & most people take it then mid 2021 seems likely for crusing to start up again  .We booked the Princess Majestic for Jan 15 ,2022 to try & be on the safe side ;but ,still no guarantees at this time .

 

Edited September 12, 2020 by mcrcruiser

[Babr]

27 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

 We hear that a covid 19  vaccine  could be out by the end of October 2020 .  If it is considered safe by doctors ,it may still take awhile to reach most people  .to start first responders get the first doses ,then  the elderly nursing home patients ,followed by the elderly in high risk levels .  Next available to all people . 

 

  What is your thinking when it comes to  taking a safe vaccine & the protocol   for added safety before boarding the ship .Also ,what about going on tours in foreign ports ?  What will you need to feel safe & cruise once again ?  

 

  All replies are very welcome .We all need to understand our choices (We are booked  Jan15 ,2022 Mexican Riviera cruise on Majestic Princess )

Based on what public health officials and doctors involved in vaccine development say, I think the October-November approval of a vaccine is more aspirational than real. Once released, the logistics of getting people vaccinated would take a long time. It may be mid-2021 before it is readily available to the general public. In the meantime, the vaccine is not likely to be 100% effective, so we may still have to follow public health guidelines until the virus is well controlled. 
 

As much as I miss cruising, I’m in no hurry to return to something so greatly altered that it is no longer the same experience.

[mcrcruiser]

1 minute ago, voljeep said:

eventually, I agree

 

sometimes business  models need to adapt to current situations to survive

 I agree as long as there is life safety in place . That  horrific situation with Diamond Princess  at the Tokyo  pier still is in the minds of many who cruise 

 

[mcrcruiser]

1 minute ago, Babr said:

Based on what public health officials and doctors involved in vaccine development say, I think the October-November approval of a vaccine is more aspirational than real. Once released, the logistics of getting people vaccinated would take a long time. It may be mid-2021 before it is readily available to the general public. In the meantime, the vaccine is not likely to be 100% effective, so we may still have to follow public health guidelines until the virus is well controlled. 
 

As much as I miss cruising, I’m in no hurry to return to something so greatly altered that it is no longer the same experience.

You made very good points for any one wanting to cruise . 

[voljeep]

3 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

 I agree as long as there is life safety in place . That  horrific situation with Diamond Princess  at the Tokyo  pier still is in the minds of many who cruise 

 

and those people will/should never cruise again ... 

[mcrcruiser]

5 minutes ago, voljeep said:

and those people will/should never cruise again ... 

Perhaps not  .We followed the spread here on cruise critic ,It was terrifying for those  poor people .It would have been far better to admit them into a hospital quarantine  .Then many might have survived 

Edited September 12, 2020 by mcrcruiser

[patrickmoran]

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

 

so, you both would agree to all the potential restrictions ?

masks at all time except eating/drinking

staggered boarding times strictly enforced

hand washing strictly enforced

social distancing, even if it meant missing shows

elevators limited to only passengers cruising together

severe port restrictions for cruise ship only excursions

 

what else

 

even with the above - sign us up also

 

Bring it on!

[stoneharborlady]

 

1 hour ago, Babr said:

Based on what public health officials and doctors involved in vaccine development say, I think the October-November approval of a vaccine is more aspirational than real. Once released, the logistics of getting people vaccinated would take a long time. It may be mid-2021 before it is readily available to the general public. In the meantime, the vaccine is not likely to be 100% effective, so we may still have to follow public health guidelines until the virus is well controlled. 
 

As much as I miss cruising, I’m in no hurry to return to something so greatly altered that it is no longer the same experience.

I doubt very much that a vaccine will be available this year.  The claims that it will are not coming from epidemiologists, or any one else in the health field, but rather from politicians, who do not know what they are talking about. 

 

However, that aside, I dont think I would enjoy a vacation with all the potential restrictions.  My last  cruise was very different from my other two cruises, and not in a good way.  Service was really lacking, food quality was way down from my previous cruises, and the poor servers in the dining room had so much more responsibility than on my previous cruise, I hesitated to ask for a second drink.  At 76, I would be a high risk passenger, and would probably be safer with a beach vacation on land.  Just my two cents.

 

Edited September 12, 2020 by stoneharborlady

[Roger88]

I keep hearing news that we are getting the vaccine by the end of this year. As soon as the vaccine will be around, there wont be any limitations and this covid thing will be considered as just another type of flue that can be easily curred 

[TravlingGato]

1 hour ago, voljeep said:

 

so, you both would agree to all the potential restrictions ?

masks at all time except eating/drinking

staggered boarding times strictly enforced

hand washing strictly enforced

social distancing, even if it meant missing shows

elevators limited to only passengers cruising together

severe port restrictions for cruise ship only excursions

 

what else

 

even with the above - sign us up also

OK. With 25+cruises behind our stern ,we want to head to the seas too. But be realistic- you are facing a world-wide  pandemic of yet unknown proportions. Fine for you to risk your own life ( I really don't care (about you). Do you??). But, I don't want you to risk my life.  What ports will you go to?  What happens if  your ship gets quarantined  and you are in "never never waters" for how many weeks because you can get back to your US  home?  Show some adult maturity and face up to the facts of living now so that you may be alive a year from now to plan the best cruise of your live. NOW AIN'T THE TIME>

 

[stoneharborlady]

4 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

I keep hearing news that we are getting the vaccine by the end of this year. As soon as the vaccine will be around, there wont be any limitations and this covid thing will be considered as just another type of flue that can be easily curred 

And who are you hearing this from, that might be qualified to know?

[voljeep]

5 minutes ago, TravlingGato said:

But, I don't want you to risk my life.

pretty sure one of the ports won't be 'nati ... but we would take an excursion there to get some Skyline 5-way, then go get some Graeter's 

 

so you're safe 

 

now stay safe

stay hydrated

peace out

Edited September 12, 2020 by voljeep

[memoak]

7 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

I keep hearing news that we are getting the vaccine by the end of this year. As soon as the vaccine will be around, there wont be any limitations and this covid thing will be considered as just another type of flue that can be easily curred 

But it will take many months to distribute the vaccine throughout the country. Figure 6 months to get everyone the shots.  Then require proof of vaccination prior to boarding. Those who refuse to vaccinate don’t get to travel

[HappyInVan]

In April/May, I cancelled everything (up to March 2021) except for Iceland in August 2021.

 

Today, I have no reason to change my plans. Despite the news about the wonderful quick tests and beautiful vaccines.

 

I intend to maintain discipline. Wait for actual programs to be implemented and success achieved. Waiting for the experts to give the all clear. Wait for the second wave to subside. Waiting to see how bad it gets this winter.

 

Be safe.

Edited September 12, 2020 by HappyInVan

[chipmaster]

1 hour ago, patrickmoran said:

 

Bring it on!

 

I agree, but sadly if you look at US behavior, what they want and what they are willing to do don't align.   

 

Enforcement will be interesting in such a service oriented business like cruising.  

[pms4104]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

But it will take many months to distribute the vaccine throughout the country. Figure 6 months to get everyone the shots.  Then require proof of vaccination prior to boarding. Those who refuse to vaccinate don’t get to travel

If the FDA is willing to approve a vaccine with only a 50 percent efficacy the bar is set way too low for such a mandate

[cruzsnooze]

The Doctors state it will be a two step vaccine and each need to be given 30 days apart. The actual expect, Dr Fauci says things won't get back to pre-covid until late 2011.  

  I don't feel comfortable about any vaccine rushed through protocol by politicians and will wait to see if it really works without major side effects.