Will P&O now delay announcements for future cruise pauses?

[Beckett]

To all my dear new friends. Thank you soooooo much for your truly uplifting messages of support. I am really touched that you have taken the time to find such inspiring words (and tokens). I am actually at work now and have shown your support to some of my colleagues. We've all had a little cry but feel much better for it. Thank you again. With love and virtual hugs to all from Jane. Xxxxx

[Snow Hill]

2 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I don’t read the Daily Mail, but my take on it is that the information could be one of three things;

 

1) Pure speculation

2) What the Mail thinks should happen, published to pressure the government into adopting it.

3) The result of a selective government leak, to assess public reaction prior to making it official next week.

 

My money is on option 3! Governments of all colours adopt this approach, especially with things being considered for Budgets. Release their thoughts to a ‘supportive’ newspaper to gauge public opinion. Scrap or modify the plan if it goes down badly. Adopt if it goes down well. 

Probably right, this government appears to operate on “selective leaks” to tame newspapers.
 

Anything Johnson announces only applies to England and we already know that the FM in Scotland has indicated self catering accommodation & hotels are unlikely to be open to the public at Easter. 

[davecttr]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Well, as 15 million of us have now had the first dose, that means that he needs to find another 13 million doses over the next couple of months! 

10 weeks until the start of May so that is 185,714.26 daily first dose rate needed. That should be doable if the vaccine is available. That leaves another 16 weeks to do all the adults by the end of August.

[Selbourne]

4 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Probably right, this government appears to operate on “selective leaks” to tame newspapers.
 

Anything Johnson announces only applies to England and we already know that the FM in Scotland has indicated self catering accommodation & hotels are unlikely to be open to the public at Easter. 

I forget that the announcements only apply to England but, being parochial, that’s all I’m worried about at present! I hope that the info is true, as our next holiday is at the end of May. Given that it’s a holiday cottage in the Isle of Wight it will hopefully go ahead and the pubs and restaurants that we enjoy going to there will be open. After a very long winter that will be the tonic that we need!

[Adawn47]

2 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

3) The result of a selective government leak, to assess public reaction prior to making it official next week.

Funny you should say that Selbourne. Whilst trolling through the news this morning I caught a glimpse of a ''leaked document'' I wish I could remember it all, but I skim over  those items,

however it did say April - shops open, can't remember May and June, but July - holiday travel.

Avril

[grapau27]

4 hours ago, Beckett said:

Thank you for highlighting that fact Ardennais. Fatigue and burnout are of real concern. The GP vaccine hub to which I am attached has worked tirelessly, for 7/7 since vaccinating started. It's a bloody hard slog! Staff are having to be persuaded to take a couple of days annual leave here and there but are reluctant to do so for fear of letting their colleagues down. Initially this drive started as a real " come on, we can do this,  we're all in this together" spirit but although that willingness is still there, the bodies are starting to encounter problems. You can see fatigue creeping in, the smiles are not so ready, we are in a state of high alert all the time wondering if we're getting our vaccine drop, which group of patients are we allowed to call, how do we make proper time to sit with colleagues who have lost loved ones, please God don't let anyone go sick today - hence I am up at 5am posting instead of sleeping! But all this is nothing compared to those friends and colleagues who have seen and encountered real trauma, day in, day out, on the hospital wards. They are the ones we really feel for - our tiredness is a drop in the ocean compared to their exhaustion.

 

So the news from my very small front line today is that we have no vaccine.

 

No vaccine drop this week and no vaccine clinics booked until - who knows - next week probably. So the good news is we all have a weekend off unless we get told otherwise; and the bad news is we all feel guilty for that fact! 

 

Now I'll probably make you all feel really depressed when you read this but I feel strangely better for writing it so bear with me and thanks for all your lovely messages of support and encouragement. Rest assured we will get to you all as soon as is humanly possible.

 

Have a good day everyone.

 

Best wishes.

Jane.x

Thanks Jane for all your hard work on the vaccine hub and posting here.

The eye hospital staff on February 3rd when I was in for the day for my op were marvelous.

You all deserve our respect and thanks.

Take care and stay safe.

Graham.

 

[grapau27]

2 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

Jane, I am sure that I speak for everyone else when I say that we owe a great debt to you and your colleagues.  I can't imagine how you are all managing to carry on for so long under so much pressure.  I can only pray that things will start to get better now that the vaccine is being distributed.  I hope that you get a vaccine drop very soon.

Take care and remember so many of us are in awe of you and your amazing colleagues 💖💖

+1 absolutely agree.

[grapau27]

18 minutes ago, Beckett said:

To all my dear new friends. Thank you soooooo much for your truly uplifting messages of support. I am really touched that you have taken the time to find such inspiring words (and tokens). I am actually at work now and have shown your support to some of my colleagues. We've all had a little cry but feel much better for it. Thank you again. With love and virtual hugs to all from Jane. Xxxxx

Hugs back to you and your colleagues Jane.

Graham x.

 

[Selbourne]

1 minute ago, Adawn47 said:

Funny you should say that Selbourne. Whilst trolling through the news this morning I caught a glimpse of a ''leaked document'' I wish I could remember it all, but I skim over  those items,

however it did say April - shops open, can't remember May and June, but July - holiday travel.

Avril

It all started in earnest when Tony Blair was PM and the term ‘media spin’ came into its own with Alistair Campbell and Peter Mandelson being the masters of it. Ever since then every single government  has used the approach to test pubic reaction. The cleverest use of it is prior to a budget. To use an entirely made up example, let’s say that they planned to increase income tax by 2% to help pay for the bailouts necessary through the pandemic. If that was announced cold in the budget people wouldn’t be at all happy, so they ‘leak’ something in advance saying that income tax might go up by 5%. There’s a public outcry. People understand the problem but are horrified at what it’s going to cost them. Come the budget it’s announced that it’s 2%. Rather than people getting up in arms about a 2% hike in tax (as they would have done if it was the first they heard about it), they are relived that it isn’t 5%, so it passes without too much fuss. It’s all very clever but sadly we are all easily ‘played’!

[wowzz]

36 minutes ago, davecttr said:

10 weeks until the start of May so that is 185,714.26 daily first dose rate needed. That should be doable if the vaccine is available. That leaves another 16 weeks to do all the adults by the end of August.

I think we are at cross purposes! 

My point was that over the next three months or so, 15 million doses are required just to give everyone who has had their first dose, their second dose.

I'm not sure what the 2 million doses in reserve relates to.

Is that over and above the 15 million, or over and above the 15 million plus the doses required for the other cohorts.

[arlowood]

Got a bit excited when a P&O email dropped into my inbox headed "Mr .............. we've a very exciting announcement"

Thought it might be more cancellations, although I don't know what's exciting about that.

Turns out to be the name of the new ship being announced tomorrow

Maybe "No-Goa" would seem appropriate in both senses!!!!

[Snow Hill]

56 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I forget that the announcements only apply to England but, being parochial, that’s all I’m worried about at present! I hope that the info is true, as our next holiday is at the end of May. Given that it’s a holiday cottage in the Isle of Wight it will hopefully go ahead and the pubs and restaurants that we enjoy going to there will be open. After a very long winter that will be the tonic that we need!

Having “lost” 4 holidays in 2020, although we eventually got our money back in all cases, we are more cautious this year on whether we will have a break or not. Nothing booked as yet, we have toyed with the idea of hiring a motor home and touring around Britain for 2 or 3 weeks going to places we haven’t been to before.

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

I do wonder whether itineraries will be changed so that (where possible) only one country is visited. This should be easy for Fjords, but Azura’s fly season out of Malta may be more tricky (unless they don’t allow anyone off in Malta apart from getting too and from the ship.)
 

I have a 2 week Med Southampton round trip on Britannia booked for August/September. It has 2 ports in Italy and 4 in Spain. I wonder whether changing Rome and Livorno to Palma/Ibiza/Vigo/La Coruna/Alicante would make it more viable. 

Edited February 17, 2021 by Guest

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

Whilst I can understand the reluctance by the government to allow foreign holidays, it is entirely right that a schedule regarding opening up of hospitality venues, hotels etc, is released as soon as possible.

Millions of people (many of them low paid or in zero hour contracts) are struggling to make ends meet at present, as their places of employment are currently shut. As an economic necessity, these people need to be re-employed as soon as possible. The economy cannot continue to stagger on for another 6 months.   

 

Whilst I agree with you wowzz, I imagine that Boris will be reluctant to give much more than an outline plan of how they hope lockdown will end, because the history of this pandemic is that something always happens to require a change in the plans, and then of course it's all the govts fault, because they should have known better!!!!

[No pager thank you]

27 minutes ago, arlowood said:

Got a bit excited when a P&O email dropped into my inbox headed "Mr .............. we've a very exciting announcement"

Thought it might be more cancellations, although I don't know what's exciting about that.

Turns out to be the name of the new ship being announced tomorrow

Maybe "No-Goa" would seem appropriate in both senses!!!!

Interesting that they are prioritising the good news over the bad news...and on a Thursday too....at least it will be 10am we can be assured!

 

 

[davecttr]

50 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I think we are at cross purposes! 

My point was that over the next three months or so, 15 million doses are required just to give everyone who has had their first dose, their second dose.

I'm not sure what the 2 million doses in reserve relates to.

Is that over and above the 15 million, or over and above the 15 million plus the doses required for the other cohorts.

I should have been clearer. It is an additional 17 million to finish first jabbing all the 9 priority groups by May. In addition the second 15 million dose for groups 1 - 4 as well. So that's 32 million jabs in the next 10 weeks - 457,000 per day

 

Confused, I am 😵

[joeecco]

13 minutes ago, Glitterati said:

I do wonder whether itineraries will be changed so that (where possible) only one country is visited. This should be easy for Fjords, but Azura’s fly season out of Malta may be more tricky (unless they don’t allow anyone off in Malta apart from getting too and from the ship.)
 

I have a 2 week Med Southampton round trip on Britannia booked for August/September. It has 2 ports in Italy and 4 in Spain. I wonder whether changing Rome and Livorno to Palma/Ibiza/Vigo/La Coruna/Alicante would make it more viable. 

Yes maybe. Malta is currently allowing guests to visit in the MsC Italy itinerary’s so they are willing. Azura could for solely Greece / Italy on an alternating basis. Maybe even Croatia. 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Beckett said:

To all my dear new friends. Thank you soooooo much for your truly uplifting messages of support. I am really touched that you have taken the time to find such inspiring words (and tokens). I am actually at work now and have shown your support to some of my colleagues. We've all had a little cry but feel much better for it. Thank you again. With love and virtual hugs to all from Jane. Xxxxx

I am only just catching up today Jane but I endorse all the good wishes that others have been saying about your efforts.  I would just add though that you must ensure you look after your own health, both physical and mental, for our sakes it is far better that you are able to keep going, even at a lower pace, rather than face burnout and have to take sick leave. Please take care, and enjoy your weekend break.

[Ardennais]

1 hour ago, Beckett said:

To all my dear new friends. Thank you soooooo much for your truly uplifting messages of support. I am really touched that you have taken the time to find such inspiring words (and tokens). I am actually at work now and have shown your support to some of my colleagues. We've all had a little cry but feel much better for it. Thank you again. With love and virtual hugs to all from Jane. Xxxxx

I can only add my thanks too, and reassure you that we’re all extremely grateful for all you do.

[jaydee6969]

Carnival have announced Costa restarting from March 27th with Smeralda.  With the itinerary including Spain and France from May 1st.

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24394-costa-restarts-cruises-with-new-program-from-march-27.html

 

All other cruises scheduled until the end of May, and not included in the program updated on Feb. 17, will be cancelled. Costa is in the process of informing travel agents and customers affected by changes.

Edited February 17, 2021 by jaydee6969

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, jaydee6969 said:

Carnival have announced Costa restarting from March 27th with Smeralda.  With the itinerary including Span and France from May 1st.

 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24394-costa-restarts-cruises-with-new-program-from-march-27.html

 

I expect P&O to follow suit. Mini cruises around U.K./Bruges/Rotterdam when travel restrictions are lifted. Possibly on the Iona to allow more space 

Edited February 17, 2021 by Guest

[zap99]

3 hours ago, wowzz said:

All of which are unlikely to be achieved this summer. 

So what do we do? Just stay locked down for ever?

With a mixture of vaccinations and social distancing,  masks etc, a certain risk level is acceptable,  especially as the most vulnerable should be protected within the next few months.

A further 9 months of lockdown will lead to a greater economic catastrophe than the Great Depression.

There are those that hope the lockdown ends as soon as is reasonably safe so that holidays/restaurants/hotel breaks can resume with a fairly low risk to themselves. There are those that wish to delay until there is absolutely no risk. That will never happen.

 

[zap99]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

I forget that the announcements only apply to England but, being parochial, that’s all I’m worried about at present! I hope that the info is true, as our next holiday is at the end of May. Given that it’s a holiday cottage in the Isle of Wight it will hopefully go ahead and the pubs and restaurants that we enjoy going to there will be open. After a very long winter that will be the tonic that we need!

Same here. First holiday end of May, second end of June, first cruise end of August and first Spain mid September. All looking quite promising.

[wowzz]

42 minutes ago, zap99 said:

There are those that hope the lockdown ends as soon as is reasonably safe so that holidays/restaurants/hotel breaks can resume with a fairly low risk to themselves. There are those that wish to delay until there is absolutely no risk. That will never happen.

 

The Chief Exec of NHS Providers was saying that the lockdown should continue until the end of June. That would lead to economic misery.

[zap99]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

The Chief Exec of NHS Providers was saying that the lockdown should continue until the end of June. That would lead to economic misery.

As you know, in industry the term used is " minimise the risk ". If folk wish to eliminate risk completely, nothing will return to anything like normal, ever again, no trips out of the house at all, ever.