Leaving the ship in port

[ontheweb]

11 hours ago, mom says said:

I give up. You're obviously trying to cling to extremes, so there's no point in trying to open your mind. And obviously have never seen a private beach or know how timed attraction tickets work to minimize group sizes. So, yes, what you suggest is exactly what the ships will do. Excursions will resemble groups of lepers herded from place to place and the public at large warned to avoid them at all costs. There will be armed guards with megaphones to keep the populace safe. Satisfied?

So, even though it has been established that people who stay at ports spend more than the day tripper cruise passengers, ports should give all preferences to the cruise passengers?

 

Maybe places like Key West will change from not wanting large ships to not wanting any ships if they must prohibit the real tourists from having to be anywhere near the cruise passengers.

 

And tell me if your cruise tour includes a museum, do you have to stick with your guide? If you either move on quicker or linger at a piece of art, will you now be kicked off the ship for not staying in your bubble?

[ontheweb]

12 hours ago, mom says said:

I give up. You're obviously trying to cling to extremes, so there's no point in trying to open your mind. And obviously have never seen a private beach or know how timed attraction tickets work to minimize group sizes. So, yes, what you suggest is exactly what the ships will do. Excursions will resemble groups of lepers herded from place to place and the public at large warned to avoid them at all costs. There will be armed guards with megaphones to keep the populace safe. Satisfied?

One other question for you. Will any of the native population be allowed to profit from the cruise coming to their country? Obviously not the people selling tours that you see when you get off the ship. Obviously not the taxi drivers who could take you to the beach or maybe even provide a tour of the island. Who profits other than Diamonds International and of course the cruise line?

[cruizergal70]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

One other question for you. Will any of the native population be allowed to profit from the cruise coming to their country? Obviously not the people selling tours that you see when you get off the ship. Obviously not the taxi drivers who could take you to the beach or maybe even provide a tour of the island. Who profits other than Diamonds International and of course the cruise line?

How is that your or the cruise lines' concern? Surely you aren't up at night worrying about nameless tricket vendors on a take your pick Caribbean island.

[cruizergal70]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

So, even though it has been established that people who stay at ports spend more than the day tripper cruise passengers, ports should give all preferences to the cruise passengers?

 

Maybe places like Key West will change from not wanting large ships to not wanting any ships if they must prohibit the real tourists from having to be anywhere near the cruise passengers.

 

And tell me if your cruise tour includes a museum, do you have to stick with your guide? If you either move on quicker or linger at a piece of art, will you now be kicked off the ship for not staying in your bubble?

No one is talking about Key West. They've already voted big ships out. Let's move in.

 

As for the museum question, you seem to have never been on a tightly managed tour.  There is no lingering. The group enters and leaves all the various rooms and spaces as a group. 

[ontheweb]

29 minutes ago, cruizergal70 said:

No one is talking about Key West. They've already voted big ships out. Let's move in.

 

As for the museum question, you seem to have never been on a tightly managed tour.  There is no lingering. The group enters and leaves all the various rooms and spaces as a group. 

And that is not a way to see a museum. You should be able to see what interests you the most, not what interests the tour guide.

[cruizergal70]

2 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

And that is not a way to see a museum. You should be able to see what interests you the most, not what interests the tour guide.

Then you don't go on that tour. Problem solved. 

[ontheweb]

39 minutes ago, cruizergal70 said:

How is that your or the cruise lines' concern? Surely you aren't up at night worrying about nameless tricket vendors on a take your pick Caribbean island.

And why should any island want a cruise if none of the population can make any money from the cruise passengers? 

 

I thought you were not going to debate with me any more.🤣 But, I figured that was not true.

 

(Leaving for the day soon, so it will be a while before I see any responses in case you still are debating.

[ontheweb]

Just now, cruizergal70 said:

Then you don't go on that tour. Problem solved. 

But they are otherwise not letting me and DW (an art teacher who really wants to see that museum) off the ship.

 

No solution.

[cruizergal70]

20 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

And why should any island want a cruise if none of the population can make any money from the cruise passengers? 

I don't really care. They can reject all cruises and I'll be fine with that. I'll vacation elsewhere. 

 

But, even with the restrictions,  money is still being made with port fees, tour fees, admission to venues, etc.

[cruisemom42]

In all of this discussion I think the key points to remember are that, for US-based cruises, nothing has yet been announced and CDC's framework does not address this specific topic. However, I can see it being considered as a "preventive action" and perhaps a bargaining chip for ships in negotiating entry to ports.

 

Like some others, I am skeptical as to how well it will work in practice having read in detail some of the reports from the European cruises where this was the "norm" for the re-start. There were numerous examples of how a so-called "bubble" was not maintained ashore during these excursions.

 

Also, it is clear that for some, taking ship excursions is not a big deal -- they either cruise mainly for the ship OR already use the ship tours primarily.  For others (myself included), I can somewhat see cruise lines doing this at the outset, but I will have no interest in the types of cruises I normally take if it continues.

 

[mom says]

Cruise mom, I agree with what you said. We don't know yet what the rules will be. Hopefully we will know soon. And then we will have a choice- accept the rules or don't cruise. We also have no interest in a cruise where ship excursions are the only option, so we would look at land vacations instead. People can moan and complain and throw all the virtual temper tantrums they want, but it won't change anything.

[clo]

On 11/12/2020 at 10:47 AM, Roger88 said:

I wouldnt leave the ship at all. I would rather enjoy the view and have a coffee somewhere on the balcony or my own balcony in the cabin. I find it a bit dangerous leaving the ship.. 

Curious what types of places do you cruise? Caribbean only? 

[clo]

On 11/13/2020 at 6:33 AM, ontheweb said:

And that is not a way to see a museum. You should be able to see what interests you the most, not what interests the tour guide.

I already knew that mandated ship's excursions would be a deal breaker for us but you painted a better picture. Thanks.

[cruizergal70]

12 minutes ago, clo said:

Curious what types of places do you cruise? Caribbean only? 

I wonder the same thing. It seems the majority of American cruisers only cruise the Caribbean with maybe a cruise to Alaska or Hawaii thrown in.

 

We've only been cruising Europe for the last few years. That's why I don't get the whole "I'll stay on the ship" mentality.  It would be a waste to do that in Europe or Asia.

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, clo said:

I already knew that mandated ship's excursions would be a deal breaker for us but you painted a better picture. Thanks.

You are welcome. I know DW and I "tour" museums differently. As an art teacher she tends to linger at every picture or sculpture or whatever while I tend to jump around to what grabs my interest.

 

And no one has answered a question I posed in another group. What happens if someone outside of the bubble excursion jumps into the group figuring they will learn from the guide giving the tour. Does everyone in the now "invaded" bubble have to go into quarantine and remain in their cabins?

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

You are welcome. I know DW and I "tour" museums differently. As an art teacher she tends to linger at every picture or sculpture or whatever while I tend to jump around to what grabs my interest.

 

And no one has answered a question I posed in another group. What happens if someone outside of the bubble excursion jumps into the group figuring they will learn from the guide giving the tour. Does everyone in the now "invaded" bubble have to go into quarantine and remain in their cabins?

 

Another thing.  What happens if someone on the ship tour has to go to the toilet.  I see several possible options:

 

1) Tell them to hold it until they get back to the ship;

2) Have one of the minders go into the toilet to chase everyone out so that the ship toilet person can go in;

     2a) The minder has to into the toilet with the member of the ship tour or

     2b) The minder has to stand at the door to ensure that nobody goes in until the ship tour member           exits

3) The museum is required to have designated toilets for ship tour participants

4) The tour must be cut short so that the person can get back to the ship

     4a) The tour must have extra toilet guides to that the tour can continue while the person either uses the toilet or returns to the ship with the toilet guide

5) The person just has to go in their pants.  The would sort of require that the  ship provides Depends to anyone on the tour who requests them.

6) Everyone on the tour has to accompany the person who has to go with him into the toilet so that the group stays together.

 

Which one of these obviously absurd solutions would anyone suggest?  The simple solution of just allowing them to go to the toilet can not be allowed as this would break the bubble.

 

DON

 

 

 

[sverigecruiser]

11 hours ago, cruizergal70 said:

I wonder the same thing. It seems the majority of American cruisers only cruise the Caribbean with maybe a cruise to Alaska or Hawaii thrown in.

 

We've only been cruising Europe for the last few years. That's why I don't get the whole "I'll stay on the ship" mentality.  It would be a waste to do that in Europe or Asia.

 

For me it's more a waste to stay on the ship in the Caribbean. We stayed on the ship when we were in Naples and Marseille. 

[sverigecruiser]

6 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Another thing.  What happens if someone on the ship tour has to go to the toilet.  I see several possible options:

 

1) Tell them to hold it until they get back to the ship

 

I think that this is the best option.

 

I really hate when someone asks for a toiletstop which isn't included in the description of the tour. Why waste time for that on a short excursion?

[cruizergal70]

1 hour ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

For me it's more a waste to stay on the ship in the Caribbean. We stayed on the ship when we were in Naples and Marseille. 

Have you been to Naples and Marseille? If you've been, it's reasonable that you may wish to not return. Are you just flying to Europe to get on cruises that make port stops you don't care about...just so you can be on a boat?

Edited November 16, 2020 by cruizergal70

[d9704011]

8 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Another thing.  What happens if someone on the ship tour has to go to the toilet.  I see several possible options:

 

1) Tell them to hold it until they get back to the ship;

2) Have one of the minders go into the toilet to chase everyone out so that the ship toilet person can go in;

     2a) The minder has to into the toilet with the member of the ship tour or

     2b) The minder has to stand at the door to ensure that nobody goes in until the ship tour member           exits

3) The museum is required to have designated toilets for ship tour participants

4) The tour must be cut short so that the person can get back to the ship

     4a) The tour must have extra toilet guides to that the tour can continue while the person either uses the toilet or returns to the ship with the toilet guide

5) The person just has to go in their pants.  The would sort of require that the  ship provides Depends to anyone on the tour who requests them.

6) Everyone on the tour has to accompany the person who has to go with him into the toilet so that the group stays together.

 

Which one of these obviously absurd solutions would anyone suggest?  The simple solution of just allowing them to go to the toilet can not be allowed as this would break the bubble.

 

DON

 

 

 

I have BPH.  I wouldn’t visit anywhere that does not have trees, as option 5 just isn’t in the cards for me.

[navybankerteacher]

Having scanned the above posts pointing out the defects in “bubble touring”, I can’t help thinking that it really would not take off - and, if it did, it would surely have to be without me.

[cruizergal70]

9 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Another thing.  What happens if someone on the ship tour has to go to the toilet.  I see several possible options:

 

1) Tell them to hold it until they get back to the ship;

2) Have one of the minders go into the toilet to chase everyone out so that the ship toilet person can go in;

     2a) The minder has to into the toilet with the member of the ship tour or

     2b) The minder has to stand at the door to ensure that nobody goes in until the ship tour member           exits

3) The museum is required to have designated toilets for ship tour participants

4) The tour must be cut short so that the person can get back to the ship

     4a) The tour must have extra toilet guides to that the tour can continue while the person either uses the toilet or returns to the ship with the toilet guide

5) The person just has to go in their pants.  The would sort of require that the  ship provides Depends to anyone on the tour who requests them.

6) Everyone on the tour has to accompany the person who has to go with him into the toilet so that the group stays together.

 

Which one of these obviously absurd solutions would anyone suggest?  The simple solution of just allowing them to go to the toilet can not be allowed as this would break the bubble.

 

DON

 

 

 

I've been on tours where the entire group stopped for a toilet break. Those that didn't need the toilet had to wait until the tour resumed.

[sverigecruiser]

48 minutes ago, cruizergal70 said:

I've been on tours where the entire group stopped for a toilet break.

 

Me too and I hate that. 

[sverigecruiser]

2 hours ago, cruizergal70 said:

Have you been to Naples and Marseille? If you've been, it's reasonable that you may wish to not return. Are you just flying to Europe to get on cruises that make port stops you don't care about...just so you can be on a boat?

 

I haven't been in Naples and Marseille. We just wanted more time on the ship. 

[ontheweb]

11 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Another thing.  What happens if someone on the ship tour has to go to the toilet.  I see several possible options:

 

1) Tell them to hold it until they get back to the ship;

2) Have one of the minders go into the toilet to chase everyone out so that the ship toilet person can go in;

     2a) The minder has to into the toilet with the member of the ship tour or

     2b) The minder has to stand at the door to ensure that nobody goes in until the ship tour member           exits

3) The museum is required to have designated toilets for ship tour participants

4) The tour must be cut short so that the person can get back to the ship

     4a) The tour must have extra toilet guides to that the tour can continue while the person either uses the toilet or returns to the ship with the toilet guide

5) The person just has to go in their pants.  The would sort of require that the  ship provides Depends to anyone on the tour who requests them.

6) Everyone on the tour has to accompany the person who has to go with him into the toilet so that the group stays together.

 

Which one of these obviously absurd solutions would anyone suggest?  The simple solution of just allowing them to go to the toilet can not be allowed as this would break the bubble.

 

DON

 

 

 

To keep the bubble, 1, 5 and 6 seem the most likely. And none of them are very palatable.

 

And you did not even mention that the restroom must be sanitized before anyone in the excursion is allowed to enter.