I Guess Alaska Cruises Will Be Cancelled Soon

[zdcatc12]

The Canadian Government on Thursday issued a new order which will prohibit cruise vessels in all Canadian waters until February 28, 2022. 

The ruling effectively kills the Alaska cruise season for foreign-flagged ships as well as other cruise seasons in the Great Lakes and Canada/New England for ships under foreign flag. Only a handful of smaller ships fly a U.S. flag. 

[Terry Mc]

What I'm looking at says until July this year.

That is not a surprise.

Edited February 4, 2021 by Terry Mc
Clarification of yr.

[Ourusualbeach]

Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced two new Interim Orders, which prohibit pleasure craft in Canadian Arctic waters and cruise vessels in all Canadian waters until February 28, 2022. This means:

• Adventure-seeking pleasure craft are still prohibited from entering Arctic waters. 
• Passenger vessels carrying more than 12 people are still prohibited from entering Arctic coastal waters, including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik, and the Labrador Coast. 
• Cruise vessels carrying 100 or more people are still prohibited from operating in Canadian waters.

[Terry Mc]

Now I see the article that says until Feb. 28, 2022.

I'm hoping this changes. This cannot last that long.  That's overkill. 

Edited February 4, 2021 by Terry Mc
Typo

[Terry Mc]

So we go out of Seattle.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, Terry Mc said:

Now I see the article that says until Feb. 28, 2022.

I'm hoping this changes. This cannot last that long.  That's overkill. 

Why would you think that it would change?

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, Terry Mc said:

So we go out of Seattle.

Unless the US government changes the PVSA rules cruises out of Seattle are now illegal as they can’t stop in a foreign port. 

Edited February 4, 2021 by Ourusualbeach

[Canadianmama3]

1 minute ago, Terry Mc said:

So we go out of Seattle.

You have to cruise through Canadian waters to get to Alaska.   And doesn’t the US have a rule that the ships have to stop in a foreign port? 
 

Canada is really in no rush to open up to cruise ships. The ports in BC don’t want the ships there either.    

[TheMastodon]

7 minutes ago, Terry Mc said:

Now I see the article that says until Feb. 28, 2022.

I'm hoping this changes. This cannot last that long.  That's overkill. 

 

Buckle up cowboy.  

[Terry Mc]

1 minute ago, Canadianmama3 said:

You have to cruise through Canadian waters to get to Alaska.   And doesn’t the US have a rule that the ships have to stop in a foreign port? 
 

Canada is really in no rush to open up to cruise ships. The ports in BC don’t want the ships there either.    

Hopefully they find a way. 

[IRMO12HD]

38 minutes ago, zdcatc12 said:

The Canadian Government on Thursday issued a new order which will prohibit cruise vessels in all Canadian waters until February 28, 2022. 

The ruling effectively kills the Alaska cruise season for foreign-flagged ships as well as other cruise seasons in the Great Lakes and Canada/New England for ships under foreign flag. Only a handful of smaller ships fly a U.S. flag. 

I noticed that the news release contains the caveat that "Should the COVID-19 pandemic sufficiently improve to allow the resumption of these activities, the Minister of Transport has the ability to rescind the Interim Orders." The Minister also said "Temporary prohibitions to cruise vessels and pleasure craft are essential to continue to protect the most vulnerable among our communities and avoid overwhelming our health care systems. This is the right and responsible thing to do." A faint glimmer of hope, I concede, but still there.

[NancyIL]

30 minutes ago, Terry Mc said:

So we go out of Seattle.

 

26 minutes ago, Terry Mc said:

Hopefully they find a way. 

 

Your Alaska cruise will definitely be cancelled. However, there was a pretty good chance it wouldn't have sailed any way - even without the Canadian government's ruling.

Edited February 4, 2021 by NancyIL

[psuboater]

I really feel for all of the ports affected, including my home port, Seattle. Downtown has taken such a hit, and another summer without cruises is a pretty big blow. 

[Ashland]

So wondering if RCI will cancel my Oct 2021 Canada/NE out of Cape Liberty or just try and change the itinerary? I'm hoping they'll now cancel before final due date.

[NancyIL]

Airfare to Alaska (Anchorage and Fairbanks) is pretty reasonable this summer. Now that there won't be land tours operated by cruise ships - hotel prices may drop, too.  Rent a car and plan a land trip!

[Ourusualbeach]

19 minutes ago, IRMO12HD said:

I noticed that the news release contains the caveat that "Should the COVID-19 pandemic sufficiently improve to allow the resumption of these activities, the Minister of Transport has the ability to rescind the Interim Orders." The Minister also said "Temporary prohibitions to cruise vessels and pleasure craft are essential to continue to protect the most vulnerable among our communities and avoid overwhelming our health care systems. This is the right and responsible thing to do." A faint glimmer of hope, I concede, but still there.

Let"s hope that Royal does not use that glimmer of hope as a reason not to do the prudent thing and cancel the season

[death_star]

13 minutes ago, Ashland said:

So wondering if RCI will cancel my Oct 2021 Canada/NE out of Cape Liberty or just try and change the itinerary? I'm hoping they'll now cancel before final due date.

The other part of this is what happens to the 9 night cruises if there is a ban over 7 nights still. They're paired with 5 night cruises so will they make 2 7 night cruises in that 14 day span? Once they figure that out then they'll probably redirect to the Bahamas. 

[Ashland]

11 minutes ago, death_star said:

The other part of this is what happens to the 9 night cruises if there is a ban over 7 nights still. They're paired with 5 night cruises so will they make 2 7 night cruises in that 14 day span? Once they figure that out then they'll probably redirect to the Bahamas. 

Mine is/was a 9 night cruise....I have no interest in the Bahamas...not the 9 night itinerary I booked so hoping they'll cancel the entire thing so I can move my deposit to another booking I have. Very disappointed (the sail date was my DH's 74th birthday) as I had gotten a great deal for the two of us in the Panoramic 2bdrm Oceanview on Freedom...Darn it !!!! 

[death_star]

1 minute ago, Ashland said:

Mine is/was a 9 night cruise....I have no interest in the Bahamas...not the 9 night itinerary I booked so hoping they'll cancel the entire thing so I can move my deposit to another booking I have. Very disappointed (the sail date was my DH's 74th birthday) as I had gotten a great deal for the two of us in the Panoramic 2bdrm Oceanview on Freedom...Darn it !!!! 

Well the other 9 night itinerary they have from Bayonne is Labadee, St Marteen and San Juan.

[h20skibum]

31 minutes ago, psuboater said:

I really feel for all of the ports affected, including my home port, Seattle. Downtown has taken such a hit, and another summer without cruises is a pretty big blow. 

We were scheduled to sail from Seattle last summer, but of course, that cruise was canceled. After watching what has taken place there all summer, we have already decided that we will sail from Vancouver when we rebook an Alaska cruise.   I wonder if others are thinking the same thing?

[Ourusualbeach]

7 minutes ago, NancyIL said:

Airfare to Alaska (Anchorage and Fairbanks) is pretty reasonable this summer. Now that there won't be land tours operated by cruise ships - hotel prices may drop, too.  Rent a car and plan a land trip!

Already planning a road trip to Banff, Jasper and Vancouver.  We were going to drive cross Canada but I found out that I can fly the 4 of us from Hamilton (Toronto) to Edmonton for $715 total including taxes.  from there we will rent a SUV for the week.  Saves 6 days of driving and hotels.

[Ashland]

6 minutes ago, death_star said:

Well the other 9 night itinerary they have from Bayonne is Labadee, St Marteen and San Juan.

Not interested in that itinerary either (but thanks) as we're already booked on a southern caribbean B2B for March 2022 and eastern caribbean April 2022.

[Ourusualbeach]

7 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

We were scheduled to sail from Seattle last summer, but of course, that cruise was canceled. After watching what has taken place there all summer, we have already decided that we will sail from Vancouver when we rebook an Alaska cruise.   I wonder if others are thinking the same thing?

If they stick with the same lift and shift options as they did with Quantum you may be limited in only shifting to the same ship....or an FCC for your deposit and book at prevailing rates

[ryano]

Sigh.  Honestly, Ive been expecting this any day now.   Guess I need to be looking on to 2022 in order to get an accessible cabin reserved.     Make that 5 years between cruises now, in order to answer a previous thread.    

[Mapleleafforever]

59 minutes ago, death_star said:

The other part of this is what happens to the 9 night cruises if there is a ban over 7 nights still. They're paired with 5 night cruises so will they make 2 7 night cruises in that 14 day span? Once they figure that out then they'll probably redirect to the Bahamas. 

Barbados.