Will the Jade make it to Africa?

[mscdivina2016]

4 hours ago, PE851 said:

I have just spoken to my travel agent and they are quite optimistic about the cruise going ahead. Namibia only require a PCR test according to her.  Durban port is open, so I don't know why you would not be able to go there. Why would you not be able to travel more than 100 miles on land -time constraints? The roads are all pretty good. 

I was told Durban has civil unrest going on and I was wrong about the miles. It's 200 kilometers under the level 3 restrictions.

I still don't know about what ports they will substitute for the half we loose.

Steve

[mscdivina2016]

So I was on the phone with NCL because they changed my room again and were trying to up sell me, and I asked about the December 3rd sailing and agreed to the up-sell if they can tell me whats going on with the itinerary. She acknowledged the following in bold were not happening as of today.

Thats 12 sea days☹️  

I did take the up sell 😁

Steve

 

Fri    Dubai, United Arab Emirates    6:00 AM    11:59 PM    0
Sat    Muscat, Oman    12:30 PM    ---    0
Sun    At Sea    ---    Overnight    0
Mon    At Sea    ---    ---    0
Tue    At Sea    ---    ---    0
Wed    La Digue, Seychelles    10:00 AM    ---    0
Thu    Port Victoria, Seychelles    10:00 AM    ---    0
Fri    At Sea    ---    ---    0
Sat    Nosy Be, Madagascar     7:00 AM    ---    0
Sun    At Sea    ---    ---    0
Mon    Port Louis, Mauritius    10:00 AM    ---    0
Tue    Pointe Des Galets, Reunion    7:00 AM    ---    0
Wed    At Sea    ---    ---    0
Thu    At Sea    ---    ---    0
Fri    Richards Bay, South Africa    10:00 AM    Overnight    0
Sat    Richards Bay, South Africa    ---    6:00 AM    0
Sun    Port Elizabeth, South Africa    7:00 AM    ---    0
Mon    Mossel Bay, South Africa    8:00 AM    ---    0
Tue    Cape Town, South Africa (Flight Departure)    7:00 AM    ---    0

[casofilia]

@mscdivina2016

 

Steve

I think you will be missing the best bits

Mike

[Lvntrvl]

Steve,

 

Thank you for the update. We will definitely cancel if those ports are no longer available. We used  a 10% off credit due to a cancellation of a South American cruise originally scheduled for January 2022. If we cancel this cruise, it is my understanding that we can retain that benefit for a period of time. Do you have any updates as to how soon we need to exercise that option. Finding info on the NCL site is like looking for a needle in a haystack and unfortunately our PCC has not been helpful.

[Lvntrvl]

Steve,

 

Thank you for the update. We will definitely cancel if those ports are no longer available. We used  a 10% off credit due to a cancellation of a South American cruise originally scheduled for January 2022. If we cancel this cruise, it is my understanding that we can retain that benefit for a period of time. Do you have any updates as to how soon we need to exercise that option. Finding info on the NCL site is like looking for a needle in a haystack and unfortunately our PCC has not been helpful.

[mscdivina2016]

9 hours ago, Lvntrvl said:

Steve,

 

Thank you for the update. We will definitely cancel if those ports are no longer available. We used  a 10% off credit due to a cancellation of a South American cruise originally scheduled for January 2022. If we cancel this cruise, it is my understanding that we can retain that benefit for a period of time. Do you have any updates as to how soon we need to exercise that option. Finding info on the NCL site is like looking for a needle in a haystack and unfortunately our PCC has not been helpful.

We are all left in the dark here. Oman is fluid everyday. I am on the 12/3 sailing to Cape town and those islands state that ships are banned till 2022.

 You might be OK as you sail in 2022 but the islands have not issued any updates. You also have to hope the ships sails to Cape town at all.

I know we have until 61 days prior to cancel, but that would take away our bonus %.  If we wait for them to cancel, that may be another story.

 I hope we get to maintain the extra % benefit but I doubt it.   I personally have a 25% off credit plus I got the 25% bonus FCC as well.  From a financial point its a killer for them.

Steve

 

[casofilia]

@mscdivina2016

 

Interesting Steve

The website is still showing all the ports.

If you got the itinerary with a written statement of the cancelled ports then it would be an offence by NCL to continue advertising, as they are, here in NZ.

Mike

[Travelers56]

4 hours ago, mscdivina2016 said:

We are all left in the dark here. Oman is fluid everyday. I am on the 12/3 sailing to Cape town and those islands state that ships are banned till 2022.

 You might be OK as you sail in 2022 but the islands have not issued any updates. You also have to hope the ships sails to Cape town at all.

I know we have until 61 days prior to cancel, but that would take away our bonus %.  If we wait for them to cancel, that may be another story.

 I hope we get to maintain the extra % benefit but I doubt it.   I personally have a 25% off credit plus I got the 25% bonus FCC as well.  From a financial point its a killer for them.

Steve

 

Hi Steve-

we are currently booked on the 12/3 sailing to Cape town as well.

 

can you post the link to where you are finding that the islands have banned cruise ships for 2021?  i have done some casual searching  myself,  but have not turned up anything.

We will definitely be cancelling if we cant make those stops-  that was our main reason for booking this.

Thanks for the info!  

[mscdivina2016]

1 hour ago, Travelers56 said:

Hi Steve-

we are currently booked on the 12/3 sailing to Cape town as well.

 

can you post the link to where you are finding that the islands have banned cruise ships for 2021?  i have done some casual searching  myself,  but have not turned up anything.

We will definitely be cancelling if we cant make those stops-  that was our main reason for booking this.

Thanks for the info!  

 

Seychelles

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/seychelles-cruise-ship-ban-coronavirus/index.html

 

Reunion

Arrivals to Réunion will be required to self-isolate for seven days, before taking another PCR test.

https://travelbans.org/africa/reunion/

 

Madagascar

Madagascar Latest News:

International Restrictions:
*Entry rules in response to coronavirus (COVID-19). Madagascar has suspended all routine international flights and private flights until further notice. Cruise ships are not currently permitted to berth in Madagascar’s ports.

https://travelbans.org/africa/madagascar/I

 

Steve

[Cruiseandgamble]

The link to the Seychelles closure is from May of 2020:

 

Here's a more current one showing they're opening in November of 2021:

 

 

And the link to the article:

 

https://www.cruisemapper.com/news/9263-seychelles-reopen-cruise-ships-november

 

 

I haven't looked at any newer news about the other islands yet but I will.

[mscdivina2016]

14 minutes ago, Cruiseandgamble said:

The link to the Seychelles closure is from May of 2020:

 

Here's a more current one showing they're opening in November of 2021:

 

 

And the link to the article:

 

https://www.cruisemapper.com/news/9263-seychelles-reopen-cruise-ships-november

 

 

I haven't looked at any newer news about the other islands yet but I will.

That article is referring to ships with no more than 300 people.

Steve

[Cruiseandgamble]

19 minutes ago, mscdivina2016 said:

That article is referring to ships with no more than 300 people.

Steve

 

Ah, I should've read the whole article and not just the headline!

[Travelers56]

Confusion still reigns.....Heard back from our TA....she said NCL told her that original itinerary is good to go.....which I really dont believe-  I just dont  think they know what is going on yet as the situation is fluid.

My prediction is that we are going to see the itinerary get modified, and for that reason -  I think we are going to cancel.

Also- I was just researching the current state of things in South Africa- and while the borders are open , the country is still under curfew orders, restaurant capacities etc...... We had planned to spend extra time in Capetown,  but I think it's our best decision to postpone....again  😩

 

stay safe everyone!!

 

 

[mscdivina2016]

2 minutes ago, Travelers56 said:

Confusion still reigns.....Heard back from our TA....she said NCL told her that original itinerary is good to go.....which I really dont believe-  I just dont  think they know what is going on yet as the situation is fluid.

My prediction is that we are going to see the itinerary get modified, and for that reason -  I think we are going to cancel.

Also- I was just researching the current state of things in South Africa- and while the borders are open , the country is still under curfew orders, restaurant capacities etc...... We had planned to spend extra time in Capetown,  but I think it's our best decision to postpone....again  😩

 

stay safe everyone!!

 

 

The itinerary cannot happen on the Dubai to Cape town leg. The islands or closed or limiting tourism.

Steve

[Lvntrvl]

We are still booked, but getting (reluctantly) more convinced each day that she will not sail this itinerary this season.  I looked at changing to the 22/23 season, but most balconies are either sold out or very high priced. We are probably looking at waiting for the 23/24 season. Any idea when that would be released...if at all. 

[mscdivina2016]

5 minutes ago, Lvntrvl said:

We are still booked, but getting (reluctantly) more convinced each day that she will not sail this itinerary this season.  I looked at changing to the 22/23 season, but most balconies are either sold out or very high priced. We are probably looking at waiting for the 23/24 season. Any idea when that would be released...if at all. 

I am thinking the same and since I have several  2022 and 2023 cruises booked the 2024 sailing is on my radar.

 When they will be available to book? 

 That a good question except for Hawaii, NCL has several booking to the end of 2023.

 

  I have booked the last Prima sailing in 2023 which is September and am waiting to see what its next sailing is. I assume the TA back to the USA which I will do.

January 2023 is the last Africa sailing posted.

 

Steve

[casofilia]

@Lvntrvl

 

 I looked at changing to the 22/23 season, but most balconies are either sold out or very high priced.

 

Not really surprising as the late 2022 cruise will be the first to do this itinerary since the failed 2020 Spirit cruise.   Lots of people are looking to do this itinerary and I can see the prices raise even further.

 

Mike

[mscdivina2016]

It appears south Africa is in level 3 today according to their health minister. The following is from last month. There is nothing pending yet to allow cruise ships 

Steve

 

South Africa's lockdown restrictions have effectively banned the cruise liner operations. Even at its most relaxed, Alert Level 1, lockdown specifically prohibits "passenger ships for international leisure purposes

 

[MichiganBound]

NCL will need to make a decision on these cruises fairly soon I would suspect.  The Athens to Dubai segment departs November 15.  I'm thinking they will want to make a decision on that as well as the following cruises to/within Africa by September 15th.  Anyone disagree?

[casofilia]

@MichiganBound

 

The Athens to Dubai segment departs November 15.

 

They are still selling on their website in NZ/Aus with a Final Payment date of Oct 18th!!!!

[MichiganBound]

6 minutes ago, casofilia said:

@MichiganBound

 

The Athens to Dubai segment departs November 15.

 

They are still selling on their website in NZ/Aus with a Final Payment date of Oct 18th!!!!

Interesting.  I don't think they really can wait that long to make a decision...unless they already have a "Plan B" lined up for Jade cruises post the vessel arriving Dubai.  

[casofilia]

@MichiganBound

 

... unless they already have a "Plan B" lined up for Jade cruises post the vessel arriving Dubai. 

 

If they were to make a decision soon to continue with the Athens-Dubai cruise and to cancel the Dubai-Cape Town cruise the logical one would be to return Dubai-Athens and then repeat those cruises.

 

The only problem I could see would be getting passage through the Suez Canal.

[MichiganBound]

11 hours ago, casofilia said:

@MichiganBound

 

... unless they already have a "Plan B" lined up for Jade cruises post the vessel arriving Dubai. 

 

If they were to make a decision soon to continue with the Athens-Dubai cruise and to cancel the Dubai-Cape Town cruise the logical one would be to return Dubai-Athens and then repeat those cruises.

 

Agreed.  I was thinking similar.  Maybe even take it a step further such as Athens-Dubai-Singapore-Dubai-Athens-repeat.   I guess it all depends on what is available for visiting along the way.  My other thought was they base Jade in Barcelona for a few months and do runs to/from the Canary Islands.

[mscdivina2016]

11 hours ago, casofilia said:

@MichiganBound

 

... unless they already have a "Plan B" lined up for Jade cruises post the vessel arriving Dubai. 

 

If they were to make a decision soon to continue with the Athens-Dubai cruise and to cancel the Dubai-Cape Town cruise the logical one would be to return Dubai-Athens and then repeat those cruises.

 

The only problem I could see would be getting passage through the Suez Canal.

I just checked the Suez schedule and even the Athens to Dubai transit is not confirmed. All other ships have a time slot, only 2 that don't is NCL and Seabourne cruise ships.

 

Steve

[casofilia]

@MichiganBound

 

Doing Dubai-Singapore would probably run into the same problems as Dubai-Cape Town with lack of places to visit.   Who would want to visit India at this time?

 

Mike