How risky is booking a sailing in Dec 2021

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

16 minutes ago, crispy46 said:

CDC just issued new guidelines. All vaccinated people can be with other vaccinated people without needing to wear a mask or social distance. Seems to me  that soon other cruise lines will adopt the Crystal model...everybody must be vaccinated in order to cruise. Staff and guests. Question...will other countries follow the CDC?

I just read this article and it gives me great encouragement for the cruise lines to begin the process. This is the first step. 
Plan to vaccinate the crew.

Plan to specify only those who are vaccinated can be passengers on their ships. 
Certainly, most people will be vaccinated by summer. And,  I don’t mean children. Most Regent cruises, except Alaska, have few if any children. 
Some ports may not allow tourists yet. There are certainly enough ports in the Caribbean that do. 
Cruising can begin by the fall. 
Yay... time to start planning!

Sheila
 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Bellaggio Cruisers

[Tapi]

I am optimistic about some cruises sailing by December (shorter, more basic ones), but I'm not optimistic about longer, more exotic itineraries sailing, at least not as currently published. Until we actually see a solid cruise restart, and how restrictions are eased around the world, it will be hard to predict what cruising will look like 9 months from now.

[Dolebludger]

Now, this sounds better!  But I remain concerned that if the only cruises that go are shorter Caribbean or similar, at less than capacity, they may not produce the revenue needed to service the debt.

[rallydave]

On 3/6/2021 at 1:39 PM, Dolebludger said:

As Regent is incorporated in the Bahamas (not the USA) we have no idea of how a claim for refund of paid passage would be treated. 

While it doesn't make a lot of difference, Regent is NOT incorporated in the Bahamas.  Regent is incorporated in Panama along with Oceania and Prestige Cruise Holdings.   Three ships are Bahamas flagged, Navigator, Voyager, and Mariner.  The newest ships Splendor and Explorer are both Marshall Island flagged.

[flossie009]

1 hour ago, crispy46 said:

CDC just issued new guidelines .................................... will other countries follow the CDC?

I am sure this is a positive move; but I find the CDC guidance to be contradictory in that those who are vaccinated are still required to follow safety measures such as wearing masks and socially distancing in public as well as avoiding non-essential travel.

 

Still it is good to see that the vaccines are having the desired effect of starting to allow a return to normality.

 

On this side of the pond we have the following forecast of restrictions being relaxed over the next few months in England:

 

 

[mrlevin]

Susan, I know you are in the UK, however, have you heard anything about when Ireland will reopen for foreign tourists?  My wife and sister-in-law would like to go sometime this year but 1) need it to be open  to international travelers and 2) hotels, restaurants, and sites need to be open with minimal restrictions.

[flossie009]

5 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

have you heard anything about when Ireland will reopen for foreign tourists?

Sorry, I have no direct knowledge.

However, I assume that Ireland is following EU guidance

 

Unfortunately vaccine roll-out in Ireland, as with much of the EU, is not proceeding as fast as they had planned. That should improve in the coming months as supplies ramp up.

 

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

2 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

Now, this sounds better!  But I remain concerned that if the only cruises that go are shorter Caribbean or similar, at less than capacity, they may not produce the revenue needed to service the debt.

I suggest you focus more on enjoying the hope of sailing again and allow Regent to focus on their finances....

sheila

Edited March 8, 2021 by Bellaggio Cruisers

[ronrick1943]

5 hours ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

I suggest you focus more on enjoying the hope of sailing again and allow Regent to focus on their finances....

sheila

What else can you do-----your 100% right.

[Dolebludger]

10 hours ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

I suggest you focus more on enjoying the hope of sailing again and allow Regent to focus on their finances....

sheila

I cannot do so when I am required to pay a deposit to book, that I may never recover. I received a Regent ad in the mail today for S. American  cruises as early as fall,  2021, with all being over 7 nights as dictated over max by the CDC at this time. We too would like to simply sit back and let Regent focus on finances,except for the fact that Regent would be holding our money! In the early 2000s we were booked on  Ren. and cancelled one day before that line sunk, and got all our money back. A close call. And Radisson (now Regent) was offering great deals for all that were booked on Ren.  That is how we were exposed to what is now Regent, and we have been loyal due to good service. But now my financial advisors tell me to avoid having any of my money tied up in NCLH. And that is what my own business experience tells me too. We will not be anybody’s test rats. Sorry, but we need to see some successful cruises go before we put a deposit on one.

[Caroldoll]

On 3/6/2021 at 12:39 PM, Dolebludger said:

While we are liberal about many matters, we are ultra - conservative when it comes to spending our money. In light of this our largest concern about putting ANY money on these cruises would not be Regent  cancelation. We are supposed to get a cash refund in that case - eventually right? Our main concern would be if the cruise did go, but with so many restrictions and rules that it would resemble a Regent cruise in name only. We are booking nothing until we can know of all these details. Our second largest concern would be  if NCLH goes into bankruptcy. As Regent is incorporated in the Bahamas (not the USA) we have no idea of how a claim for refund of paid passage would be treated. 
 

Bottom line — too many unknowns here.

You are so completely right.  The protocols will be staggering.  I personally do not know how the cruise lines have managed to stay afloat. We would love to have a family cruise, but have opted to just go to Hawaii, if they lift the restriction that you must wear a mask on the beach!  The fact that there are a lot of people getting vaccine might change some things, but otherwise it looks sad.

[charltonkerry]

UK announce domestic cruising can restart 17th May, not certain what restriction will be recommended 

 

]https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/cruise/uk-domestic-cruises-given-may-17-green-light?fbclid=IwAR0RThlKq1M5rjdAYZGB9jnMInPbwMUtiOrl7qmYQkKc-n4VwCdkwMFn0iA

[Pcardad]

If your 'advisors" told you to stay away from cruises you just missed out on a run from 9 to the low 30's...400%. I am happy to be the rat. The CDC just announced no mask or distancing with vaccinated people are together. Imagine a cruise ship with 100% vaccination rate. We are getting there.

[labonnevie]

11 hours ago, Caroldoll said:

We would love to have a family cruise, but have opted to just go to Hawaii, if they lift the restriction that you must wear a mask on the beach!

We were in Maui last November and no one was wearing a mask on the beach, including hotel and Dept of Land and Natural Resources employees. We have another trip planned in August. 

[daetchief]

If you do come to Hawaii (Oahu) and someone says you must wear a mask on the beach, I have just the mask.  It says "My Governor is an Idiot"    Really, they exist.

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 3/9/2021 at 7:54 AM, Pcardad said:

If your 'advisors" told you to stay away from cruises you just missed out on a run from 9 to the low 30's...400%. I am happy to be the rat. The CDC just announced no mask or distancing with vaccinated people are together. Imagine a cruise ship with 100% vaccination rate. We are getting there.

I sure hope that Regent intends to vaccinate all staff as well as all pax.

[Pcardad]

They are - confirmed.

[Ladys Mom]

While it has been confirmed that all of the crew will be vaccinated and tested daily, a final decision has not been made as to whether the guests will have to be vaccinated.  If they do, then the ship will have achieved herd immunity.

[travelwell]

I am betting all passengers and crew will need to be vaccinated with very few exceptions. At this point no masks on ship.  Crossing fingers.

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

6 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I sure hope that Regent intends to vaccinate all staff as well as all pax.

Certainly, we expect Regent will vaccinate all staff and crew..but, passengers should be responsible for theirs and not be allowed to board without proof. 

[Pcardad]

4 minutes ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

Certainly, we expect Regent will vaccinate all staff and crew..but, passengers should be responsible for theirs and not be allowed to board without proof. 

I expect this to be a requirement.

[ronrick1943]

They would have to see the vaccination card before letting anyone on the ship.  

[Dolebludger]

From the news, I understand that vaccines are to be available to all adults by May 1, and resulting appointments should be met by May 31. All May cruises have already been cancelled. If the info above is true, there would be no valid excuse for any adult to go without vaccinations in June and after. We got our two-shot doses by last month, and our two week period for immunity ended by the first of March. We were given CDC cards showing our status. 
 

Without a requirement that ALL aboard have a vaccination, we won’t think about booking. This is our minimum requirement. Others involve when a mask must be worn onboard, and port disembarkation limitations. 

[mrlevin]

18 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

From the news, I understand that vaccines are to be available to all adults by May 1, and resulting appointments should be met by May 31.

 

Everyone will be "eligible" to receive a vaccine starting 1 May that does not mean that everyone will receive their first dose anytime soon.  Here in Texas the federal government has started limiting allocation and shipment of vaccines this coming week; I had high hopes we were on a path to provide 2,000,000 doses a week but those hopes have been dashed.

[mrlevin]

Not a fan of Biden but I think the 1 May date is a no brainer.  We are nearing 3,000,000 doses a day now.  That is almost 150,000,000  more doses administered by 1 May.  They are going to have to open vaccines to everyone (at least over 16) or they are going to start running out of folks that are eligible that want the vaccines.

Edited March 13, 2021 by mrlevin