I Guess Alaska Cruises Will Be Cancelled Soon

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

 

When multiple consumers call and ask you to find the CHEAPEST sailing you can find within certain dates, and want you to check and see if the actual ships/date they want to sail on qualifies for under L&S and then immediately request to L&S to the most expensive ship/sailing that qualifies, all with the intent of NEVER sailing on the cruise they initially booked I'd definitely call that abusing the program.  That was never the intent from Royal and I think once they had time to analyze booking patterns and see what was happening was when they decided to close the loophole and end the program.

 

Of course if RCG hadn't massively jacked up 2021/22 pricing on so many sailings then it would have been a moot point!

When you could call Royal and book a cruise and shift it to the next year on the same phone call it is obvious that Royal did not have an issue with the program which translates into "not abuse"

 

If they wanted to they could have ended it several times yet they extended the date of this program twice before they finally cancelled it.  By the time they cancelled it all the good deals were long gone.

[molly361]

7 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

 

When multiple consumers call and ask you to find the CHEAPEST sailing you can find within certain dates, and want you to check and see if the actual ships/date they want to sail on qualifies for under L&S and then immediately request to L&S to the most expensive ship/sailing that qualifies, all with the intent of NEVER sailing on the cruise they initially booked I'd definitely call that abusing the program.  That was never the intent from Royal and I think once they had time to analyze booking patterns and see what was happening was when they decided to close the loophole and end the program.

 

Of course if RCG hadn't massively jacked up 2021/22 pricing on so many sailings then it would have been a moot point!

If they did not want this happening they could have made the program more restrictive.  They could have limited it to cruises that were already booked when the program started.  They didn't.  They could have limited it to shifting to the same class of ship.  They didn't.  They could have limited it to sailing from the same port as the original booking.  They didn't   And so on.  

 

Ellen who benefited from some really great prices during the L and S program😇

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, molly361 said:

If they did not want this happening they could have made the program more restrictive.  They could have limited it to cruises that were already booked when the program started.  They didn't.  They could have limited it to shifting to the same class of ship.  They didn't.  They could have limited it to sailing from the same port as the original booking.  They didn't   And so on.  

 

Ellen who benefited from some really great prices during the L and S program😇

Seems to me that the ones claiming that it was abusing the system are the ones who missed out on a great opportunity.

[not-enough-cruising]

14 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

 

When multiple consumers call and ask you to find the CHEAPEST sailing you can find within certain dates, and want you to check and see if the actual ships/date they want to sail on qualifies for under L&S and then immediately request to L&S to the most expensive ship/sailing that qualifies, all with the intent of NEVER sailing on the cruise they initially booked I'd definitely call that abusing the program.  That was never the intent from Royal and I think once they had time to analyze booking patterns and see what was happening was when they decided to close the loophole and end the program.

 

Of course if RCG hadn't massively jacked up 2021/22 pricing on so many sailings then it would have been a moot point!

Thank You, you just PROVED my point, and rendered yours moot.

 

If RCG didn't expect the program to operate the way it was, then they would not have allowed the booking and L&S all in one transaction.

 

Interesting that it took them what, 7months, 8 months to close the "loophole"?  It was not a loophole, it was a revenue strategy.

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, not-enough-cruising said:

Interesting that it took them what, 7months, 8 months to close the "loophole"?  It was not a loophole, it was a revenue strategy.

And extend the revenue generating program twice.

[not-enough-cruising]

Just now, Ourusualbeach said:

And extend the revenue generating program twice.

EXACTLY!!  So in reality;  "Who abused who??"

[RFerrington]

17 minutes ago, molly361 said:

If they did not want this happening they could have made the program more restrictive.  They could have limited it to cruises that were already booked when the program started.  They didn't.  They could have limited it to shifting to the same class of ship.  They didn't.  They could have limited it to sailing from the same port as the original booking.  They didn't   And so on.  

 

Ellen who benefited from some really great prices during the L and S program😇

Not only did they NOT make it more restrictive, they actually eased the parameters.  Originally you could only L&S if the itin to which you were shift had the same "title" as the original booking...in other words, you could only L&S from an eastern Caribbean to another eastern Caribbean.  By the time the program finally ended, they didn't much care what the cruise title said as long as it had the word Caribbean in it somewhere.  I'd say the L&S program was the very definition of a win-win solution !

[molly361]

Maybe we need to start a post your L and S bargains thread😇

Edited February 6, 2021 by molly361

[not-enough-cruising]

3 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Maybe we need a post your L and S bargains thread😇

That is an EXCELLENT idea!!

 

[firefly333]

21 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Maybe we need to start a post your L and S bargains thread😇

I was late to the dance. I tried a lift from new orleans first and it was denied. Seemed to me lots here had gotten great deals on suites which were gone by the time I started, just before rcl put out the form to make it easier.

 

My best deals were solo prices not at 200%, which is all I can find now. 

[Terry Mc]

Simple solution. Change the Vancouver to Seward and vice versa cruises to RT out of Seward.

No Canada poc needed. 

How hard is that?

[Terry Mc]

Why can't I delete this?

Edited March 18, 2021 by Terry Mc
Posted twice

[rockmom]

32 minutes ago, Terry Mc said:

Simple solution. Change the Vancouver to Seward and vice versa cruises to RT out of Seward.

No Canada poc needed. 

How hard is that?

Well, it's not legal, so there's that.  Unless they get an exception due to Covid, the ships must stop in a foreign port (Canada) and can't only sail between U.S. ports. 

Edited March 18, 2021 by rockmom

[deepcman]

Once again the Canadian Federal government has no forethought on the repercussions of their actions and there is no plan for the reopening of the border from Canadian officials. Just read that the majority of Canadians want the border to remain closed for now so please just send money to support the tourism industry. How many folks would prefer an extra day in Alaska vs stopping in B.C.

https://news.google.com/articles/CBMiZWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNiYy5jYS9uZXdzL2NhbmFkYS9icml0aXNoLWNvbHVtYmlhL2NydWlzZS1zaGlwcy1ieXBhc3MtYi1jLXByb3Bvc2VkLWFsYXNrYS1sYXctMS41OTYxMTMy0gEgaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2JjLmNhL2FtcC8xLjU5NjExMzI?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen

[Biker19]

Could there be a big-ship Alaska cruise season in 2021?

 

Royal Caribbean Group’s CEO and Chairman Richard Fain is now more bullish on the prospect of cruising in the 49th state this summer.

 

Noting the recent encouraging process on working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on modifying or lifting the Conditional Sail Order, Fain commented: “Although this is only part of a very complex process, it encourages us that we now see a pathway to a healthy and achievable return to service, hopefully in time for an Alaskan season."

 

The comments came from Royal Caribbean's first quarter earnings press release.

 

While a green light from the CDC would be a huge step forward, it is only one step in a logistically and politically complicated path to return to operations in Alaska, where Royal Caribbean would need to rely on calling in a Canadian port to meet U.S. regulations.

 

One workaround could be the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act, introduced in March by Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan. The Act is an effort to alleviate the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) restrictions for cruise ships transporting passengers between the State of Washington and the State of Alaska. There is currently no vote scheduled on the Act.

 

On the company’s first quarter earnings call, Fain elaborated and said the company would need a waiver for the PVSA or to have Canada allow technical calls where no crew or passengers would disembark. 

 

“We are working on both,” Fain said. “But, we can’t be certain where that (will end up). But given the momentum there is some reason for hope.”

 

Fain noted it was a confusing and complex situation he would not put odds on.

 

Royal Caribbean’s Fain Somewhat Confident on 2021 Alaska Season - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News

 

Biker, who is certain there are plenty of CC posters who will put odds on it.

Edited April 30, 2021 by Biker19

[mianmike]

3 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Could there be a big-ship Alaska cruise season in 2021?

 

Royal Caribbean Group’s CEO and Chairman Richard Fain is now more bullish on the prospect of cruising in the 49th state this summer.

 

Noting the recent encouraging process on working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on modifying or lifting the Conditional Sail Order, Fain commented: “Although this is only part of a very complex process, it encourages us that we now see a pathway to a healthy and achievable return to service, hopefully in time for an Alaskan season."

 

The comments came from Royal Caribbean's first quarter earnings press release.

 

While a green light from the CDC would be a huge step forward, it is only one step in a logistically and politically complicated path to return to operations in Alaska, where Royal Caribbean would need to rely on calling in a Canadian port to meet U.S. regulations.

 

One workaround could be the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act, introduced in March by Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan. The Act is an effort to alleviate the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) restrictions for cruise ships transporting passengers between the State of Washington and the State of Alaska. There is currently no vote scheduled on the Act.

 

On the company’s first quarter earnings call, Fain elaborated and said the company would need a waiver for the PVSA or to have Canada allow technical calls where no crew or passengers would disembark. 

 

“We are working on both,” Fain said. “But, we can’t be certain where that (will end up). But given the momentum there is some reason for hope.”

 

Fain noted it was a confusing and complex situation he would not put odds on.

 

Royal Caribbean’s Fain Somewhat Confident on 2021 Alaska Season - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News

 

Biker, who is certain there are plenty of CC posters who will put odds on it.

 

Let's hope Canada allows technical stops and the Alaska season can be salvaged. 

[broberts]

Technical stops at Encinada were discontinued on Hawaii cruises some years ago. I expect some sort of US government waiver would still be needed before technical stops in Canada were allowed to satisfy PVSA requirements.

 

I don't see any benefit to Canada in allowing technical stops. In fact it has the potential of establishing an undesirable precedence.

[DirtyDawg]

52 minutes ago, broberts said:

Technical stops at Encinada were discontinued on Hawaii cruises some years ago. I expect some sort of US government waiver would still be needed before technical stops in Canada were allowed to satisfy PVSA requirements.

 

I don't see any benefit to Canada in allowing technical stops. In fact it has the potential of establishing an undesirable precedence.

 

I agree with you. What would be the benefit to Canada allowing these?  I don't see any either. Also it is not just about getting approval from the Federal government, wouldn't these also need the approval of the Provincial government and the local health authorities? 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tree_skier]

30 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

What would be the benefit to Canada allowing these?

Port Fees

[DirtyDawg]

13 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Port Fees

LOL. Canada will sure be missing out on those. 💲

That's like me not bothering to pick up a penny off the street. 

[LeDemonBlond]

I would hope that Vancouver or Victoria would be allowed a temporary technical stop. I think its in Canada and B.C.'s interest to show some good will ( as well as take in the Port Fees )  as the worst thing to happen would be that the PVSA is scrapped so Canada could be bypassed.  

 

By July, we should be close to where the U.S. is right now in terms of those vaccinated (assuming the vaccination timelines hold up) and our infection rate should be considerably down ( I hope, May is going to be the tough month for some provinces). 

 

Maybe its even possible people might be able to get off the ship In August/September.

 

 

[Tree_skier]

I don't expect Canada to open the border to Americas anytime this year.  The current ruling party in government is and has been historically anti-American. It plays well to their base to be seen as being tough on the US.  Also, Canadian media has been in a near frenzy of anti-americanism for the last year and a half, really for the last four and half but it really ramped up with the Virus.  They could turn on a dime and alter their editorial coverage (they won't, because they are bought and paid for by the current govt.) but the general population has been so conditioned to fear Americans coming here that the prevailing view is to keep the Canada/US border closed.  Flights from the hotspot of India are no problem but an American walking though Butchart Gardens is sure to bring a tsunami of plague.  Or so is the prevailing thought.  That is why folks in BC who have plates on their vehicles from US jurisdictions put signs in their windows to advise that they are actually Canadians or transiting the country to Alaska.  The fear of vandalism was a very serious problem last year.

[broberts]

21 minutes ago, LeDemonBlond said:

I would hope that Vancouver or Victoria would be allowed a temporary technical stop. I think its in Canada and B.C.'s interest to show some good will ( as well as take in the Port Fees )  as the worst thing to happen would be that the PVSA is scrapped so Canada could be bypassed.  

 

By July, we should be close to where the U.S. is right now in terms of those vaccinated (assuming the vaccination timelines hold up) and our infection rate should be considerably down ( I hope, May is going to be the tough month for some provinces). 

 

Maybe its even possible people might be able to get off the ship In August/September.

 

 

 

Showing goodwill towards for profit corporations is absolutely pointless. They will only ever act in a manner  profiting shareholders.

 

I doubt the port fees do more than cover the ports' hard costs, if that. It's doubtful they contribute anything to necessary borders protection services, navigation infrastructure, or harbor infrastructure.

 

Vaccination levels in Canada should move into the 70% range by August. Late August, early September does seem likely.

 

3 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I don't expect Canada to open the border to Americas anytime this year.  The current ruling party in government is and has been historically anti-American. It plays well to their base to be seen as being tough on the US.  Also, Canadian media has been in a near frenzy of anti-americanism for the last year and a half, really for the last four and half but it really ramped up with the Virus.  They could turn on a dime and alter their editorial coverage (they won't, because they are bought and paid for by the current govt.) but the general population has been so conditioned to fear Americans coming here that the prevailing view is to keep the Canada/US border closed.  Flights from the hotspot of India are no problem but an American walking though Butchart Gardens is sure to bring a tsunami of plague.  Or so is the prevailing thought.  That is why folks in BC who have plates on their vehicles from US jurisdictions put signs in their windows to advise that they are actually Canadians or transiting the country to Alaska.  The fear of vandalism was a very serious problem last year.

 

Obviously someone that does not like the current Canadian political situation.

 

This post is filled with opinions that do not come close to reflecting reality.

[Tree_skier]

48 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

LOL. Canada will sure be missing out on those. 💲

That's like me not bothering to pick up a penny off the street. 

I don't think they will miss those dollars just as I don't think they'll open the border. You asked the  question what benefit would Canada derive. The answer is Port fees. You correct it is an insignificant amount to a the Federal Govt. spending money like a sailer on shore leave. To the Victoria harbor authority it might be more significant.

[Tree_skier]

9 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

Obviously someone that does not like the current Canadian political situation.

 

This post is filled with opinions that do not come close to reflecting reality.

 You are correct, I think the current government is the most corrupt and incompetent in modern Canadian history.  That being said, not a single thing I said can't be backed up with an avalanche of supporting factual evidence.