The Problems and worries of a year ago- pre pandemic and NOW

[Germancruiser]

I just found a very similar topic over at the Princess board. It was fun reading. So I thought I might start something similar here on the X - Board.

So my biggest worries this time last year was if I would really like my cruise on board the new Celebrity Edge. Would the Infinite veranda be to my liking? Would I miss the " regualar balcony? Would I like the layout and so on. Those have been my greatest worries about a year ago- and then all started to buy toilet paper like grazy.. and the rest is.... not yet history. I just started booking a cruise in 2022- after my Transatlantic got just canceld. ( 09.21)

Edited March 15, 2021 by Germancruiser

[cluso]

We were on Celebrity Equinox February 29-March 7, 2020.  This was after the initial cruise ship(s) Covid issues.  We were hoping we could return virus free.  Thankfully we did, and what a relief it was.  Now vaccinated, but next cruise is not until April 2022 on a small (166 pax) ship.    

Edited March 15, 2021 by cluso
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[Bo1953]

8 hours ago, Germancruiser said:

I just found a very similar topic over at the Princess board. It was fun reading. So I thought I might start something similar here on the X - Board.

So my biggest worries this time last year was if I would really like my cruise on board the new Celebrity Edge. Would the Infinite veranda be to my liking? Would I miss the " regualar balcony? Would I like the layout and so on. Those have been my greatest worries about a year ago- and then all started to buy toilet paper like grazy.. and the rest is.... not yet history. I just started booking a cruise in 2022- after my Transatlantic got just canceld. ( 09.21)

g - did you book The Apex or The Edge for that 21 Sept sailing?

 

I did not look up which ship is sailing TA at X site...

 

bon voyage

[paulh84]

Oh the days of bashing interior designers, throw pillows and fake succulents, chair hogs, bluetooth speaker and 'dress shorts'..... who would have thought we would actually miss those posts???

[Yvonne]

Our last cruise was 2 years ago on Royal’s Oasis of the Seas.  I have wanted to try Celebrity, and we have an aft balcony room on the Silhouette booked for January.  I’m having my first COVID vaccine on Thursday and second one next month.  I do pray cruising will be somewhat back to normal, and ours isn’t cancelled.  My husband doesn’t really want the vaccine but said he would if it’s required for the cruise🙂

[Germancruiser]

BO1953- it was a Transatlantic on Board QM2- my planed TA in April 2020 was of course canceled- so a " shifted " my downpayment to a TA in September this years- which got canceled, too. So my hopes are now for April 2022.

 

[Germancruiser]

I met a few here who did not like to get the vaccine at first- but they soon learned that traveling without would not be in the books. Traveling and the resctrictions for a vaccine settles the problem of many people without vaccine. I am ready to go- my shirt pulled up - to hold still and get my vaccine- just waiting for my " Call"!

[hcat]

By this time last year...things were closing down...lots of interest and fear over the new virus.  We think we may have had it in Feb...never felt so sick before. No Covid tests back then.  Work for me ceased mid March...still closed,

 

We know alot more today & now have our vaccines, but still wear our masks and socially distance as more and more things  slowly open up.. 

 

We are hopeful we may cruise in 2022...maybe????

[cheeseheads4ever]

Yes! a year ago and still today feeling that everything we touched had COVID on it. Store:shelves bare of santizing wipes, toilet paper, paper towel, Kleenex.but what a find if you could find any in a store but had a limit 1 maybe 2. Also shelves bare of food. Luckily I was just coming off a surgery when COVID happened so we had no cruises on the books at that time.

Blessed myself and DW did not get COVID. We are a month out after getting our second vaccine.Not a side effects except a sore vaccination site to touch so I stopped touching  it. We still wear a mask, social distance and wear safety glasses. Doing a little more socializing.....and BOOKED a January 2,2023 Southern Caribbean 10 night cruise on Equinox.Yes was out there date wise but something to look forward to.

[Germancruiser]

Oh yes- everything was closing down. And who would have that a year later everything - or at least a lot of things would still be closed down.

[cgolf1]

For us, I was just transitioning back to this board to follow the progress of the APEX that we were to sail on next and the Connie the year after that. We had done a Super Bowl 2020 weekend cruise out of Ft Lauderdale on the Adventure of the seas and had a great time.

 

Funny/sad story though on how times have changed. On the flight down to that super bowl cruise, a lady had a mask on, and I think she may have had the only empty seat next to her because nobody wanted to sit next to her. Fast forward to now, the opposite would be true, where we wouldn't want to sit next to anyone without a mask.

[cachouonacruise]

Last year, which seems an eternity ago, our Hawaiian NCL cruise had just been cancelled 24 hour prior to our departure. So, my concerns were about assessing the financial impact.

 

The week before, we had booked a Silhouette Cruise for May this year....which was recently cancelled, and we went to a restaurant to celebrate my daughter’s birthday, in a social distancing new weird concept....

 

This year, I am just hoping to legally be allowed to see and hug my three children and my « new » grand-son, while dreaming about the possibility to ever travel again. And yes, hoping that a vaccine opportunity will open up before Covid knocks at our door.

[Alushar]

A year ago we were just back from our Singapore to Dubai Cruise on the Connie which became a Dubai to Dubai cruise when Singapore closed. We'd spent a few days in Dubai after the cruise which were fraught with worry about getting back but we hadn't been able to get an earlier flight.

 

On returning my wife was ill pretty sure covid although pre tests have never seen her so poorly. Working in a senior position in a London Hospital we had some forewarning of what was coming, though not much!

 

From there neither of us have stopped working and it's been hard. Spreadsheets have been essential as first flights were cancelled, then our September cruise lift and shifted, more flights then our April/May cruises lift and shifted, concerts and theatre cancelled and or rearranged, friends and family missed some gone forever.

 

We've been vaccinated and we are more than ready to sail again. One of the lift and shifts is still live for this Sept but unlikely next April/May we have hopes for. Overall we know we are lucky to be able to look forward again to meeting friends and family, travelling and making new friends. We will all of stories I'll see you in a Martini Bar!

[rmalbers]

Ya, I remember a year ago when people were moving early summer cruises to late summer, then summer to late fall, etc.  I'm not booking anything again until cruising actually starts again.  I'm going to the Rockies again this summer and the beach in the fall, easy to wear a mask and social distance on a beach from a condo.  I sort of wonder if international vacationing is not going to be back to normal for 3 or more years at this point.  (BTW: I've had my two doses, I can't believe some people will not get the shots.)

[markeb]

By this time last year, we had already moved a cruise from 2020 to 2022 for completely non-COVID related reasons. We had been in London over New Years, and the BBC was covering what was going on in Wuhan, and in February we had gone to NYC for a long weekend. Less than 30 days later everything changed...

 

We were getting ready for Opening Day at National's Park, and the raising of the World Series Flag. And following a lot of information here on Cruise Critic. I specifically remember a series of folks flying to I believe Costa Rica on Friday the 13th...  Cruise cancelled after they got there, and I don't know how hard it was for them to get home. Pretty nuts. On March 12th, my wife's school district announced it was closing to students on Monday and Tuesday, and Monday would become a teacher prep day. Stayed that way until they left on Friday, when it suddenly changed to closed for I think originally 2 weeks, and then through Spring Break. And then through the rest of the school year. No real recommendations to take things home, and they didn't get back in the building, in small groups, until June. Opening Day was cancelled, and fans never made it to the park.

 

The school district was incredibly efficient once things got going, and something like 85% of teachers and staff have been vaccinated. I think most have received both doses. I get my second later this week. I agree that international vacations are not going to be normal anytime soon.

 

Very strange year, indeed.

[Germancruiser]

Thanks all for contributing their stories. Makes a very interessting- if sad- reading. A year later and we are all waiting to get our vaccine.

Here in Germany things look rather dire - with the new cases raising week by week. 5 month in Lockdown now.