Anyone cancelling their cruise?

[edrussell]

We have our next sailing booked for Sept 11 on Oasis.  We also have a Vegas trip booked in early April.  Zero plans to cancel either.  I still fully understand those who are nervous about plans though,

[cheese please]

On 2/14/2022 at 7:47 PM, Blackduck59 said:

 

Are you staying at home all the time? I think you probably have more contact with unvaccinated people on any given day than you will on the cruise.

I guess everyone has their own threshold of acceptable risk, for us the time to get started is now. After 3 cancelled cruises and plans dashed we intend to be on our first cruise since June 2019. We fly to Los Angeles on April 8th to embark on Viking Orion for a Pacific Coastal cruise.

On a cruise ship you have people that do not play by the rules and you are stuck on board with them. So a group of 2 to 3000 people that are confined to a ship as apposed to what a grocery store or a restaurant that everyone is playing by the rules and if not you can leave and hopefully never see them again. That is my thought. We are still holding out hope that we will feel good about our late fall cruise as we really want to go to Israel. Glad you are feeling good about your trips have fun. 

[Blackduck59]

1 hour ago, cheese please said:

On a cruise ship you have people that do not play by the rules and you are stuck on board with them. So a group of 2 to 3000 people that are confined to a ship as apposed to what a grocery store or a restaurant that everyone is playing by the rules and if not you can leave and hopefully never see them again. That is my thought. We are still holding out hope that we will feel good about our late fall cruise as we really want to go to Israel. Glad you are feeling good about your trips have fun. 

 

Take care and be well. I think about my parents, they always wanted to drive across Canada, see Niagara falls, visit the east coast. For whatever reason they kept putting it off. Finally they were really going to do it, they returned from visiting family in the Saskatchewan and they were going to head out in the spring. Unfortunately Dad was diagnosed with cancer and passed 28 days later. Up until that time he was quite healthy for an 80 year old. We have put things off enough time to get going, as it is we may never get to do our down under adventure, we cancelled that 2 years in a row, now I'm not sure we are up for the 14 hour flight to get there.

[Oceangoer2]

13 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

Take care and be well. I think about my parents, they always wanted to drive across Canada, see Niagara falls, visit the east coast. For whatever reason they kept putting it off. Finally they were really going to do it, they returned from visiting family in the Saskatchewan and they were going to head out in the spring. Unfortunately Dad was diagnosed with cancer and passed 28 days later. Up until that time he was quite healthy for an 80 year old. We have put things off enough time to get going, as it is we may never get to do our down under adventure, we cancelled that 2 years in a row, now I'm not sure we are up for the 14 hour flight to get there.

Is there a possibility of a stop over to break up the flight for a day so you can rest and see another city as well?

[Been There, Planning That]

9 minutes ago, Oceangoer2 said:

Is there a possibility of a stop over to break up the flight for a day so you can rest and see another city as well?

We've done it both directly from Ottawa thereby adding almost 5 hours to your west coast time, and broken it up.  We've never felt able to splurge on decent business or even first class plane seats.

 

It's NOT easy but our extended stays exploring Australia have been phenomenal and well worth the horrors of getting there and back.  We've not cruised around Australia, although in the late 60s we sailed there from Vancouver when steerage passage was much less expensive than flying.

 

But we were younger and sure couldn't undertake it now.

 

Ruth

[Blackduck59]

We have decided that the next cruise after the one in April will be East Coast Canada probably in August 2023. Perhaps the down under trip will happen after that. We will both be retired than and breaking up the flight will be easier because we will not be restricted by Vacation time from work.

Besides it may take that long for Australia to finally accept foreign visitors.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

9 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

We have decided that the next cruise after the one in April will be East Coast Canada probably in August 2023. Perhaps the down under trip will happen after that. We will both be retired than and breaking up the flight will be easier because we will not be restricted by Vacation time from work.

Besides it may take that long for Australia to finally accept foreign visitors.

You can go on Monday 😄

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-60284491

[maryann2]

On 2/16/2022 at 7:07 PM, Blackduck59 said:

 

Take care and be well. I think about my parents, they always wanted to drive across Canada, see Niagara falls, visit the east coast. For whatever reason they kept putting it off. Finally they were really going to do it, they returned from visiting family in the Saskatchewan and they were going to head out in the spring. Unfortunately Dad was diagnosed with cancer and passed 28 days later. Up until that time he was quite healthy for an 80 year old. We have put things off enough time to get going, as it is we may never get to do our down under adventure, we cancelled that 2 years in a row, now I'm not sure we are up for the 14 hour flight to get there.

Sorry to hear of your father's death. 

Hopefully you will get to Australia eventually.

Carnival Splendor might be doing a sailing to Australia this September.  Not announced yet.  Possibly too early for you this year but after you retire.

[maryann2]

On 1/10/2022 at 10:06 AM, K_e_short said:

 

I am booked on the Pride in July.

 

I'm part of a roll call on the Book of Faces.

 

I don't think a lot of them have read up on cruises or cruising or Carnival or Covid.. or anything.

 

They are booking flights, talking about meet ups, worrying about covid tests..

 

And I"m sitting back thinking "lets wait to see if 1 - Iceland/Scotland/Ireland/Wales is actually open for tourists, and 2 - if the ship actually makes it way there.

 

THEN I will start planning 🙂

 

I paid final payment for the April TA last night.  So looks like this one will actually go.

 

[latebuyer]

Can I ask what cancel for any reason insurance people bought? I can’t seem to find it. I’m booked on a sept 22 cruise but feel nervous about it.

Edited February 18, 2022 by christinand

[latebuyer]

I see Tugo offers cancel for any reason insurance. If you know of any other company, please post. I know it’s only 50% return back but it would be better than nothing.

[lx200gps]

31 minutes ago, christinand said:

I see Tugo offers cancel for any reason insurance. If you know of any other company, please post. I know it’s only 50% return back but it would be better than nothing.

The gold standard for CFAR coverage is probably Princess, at 100% back (as FCC). We bought it every time, until they stopped selling to Quebec.  I believe that at one time Manulife here in Canada also offered CFAR, at 75% IIRC, but I'm not sure if it's still available.  I think the 75% back was a pretty universal number for those companies offering CFAR, but that was pre-COVID.  Hopefully other folks will chime in with their experiences.

[1kaper]

10 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

The gold standard for CFAR coverage is probably Princess, at 100% back (as FCC). We bought it every time, until they stopped selling to Quebec.  I believe that at one time Manulife here in Canada also offered CFAR, at 75% IIRC, but I'm not sure if it's still available.  I think the 75% back was a pretty universal number for those companies offering CFAR, but that was pre-COVID.  Hopefully other folks will chime in with their experiences.

Best I could find was 50% but I may have missed some options. I bought mine through the cruise line. 

[latebuyer]

Royal caribbean has a cruise with confidence policy where you can get a 100% fcc up to 48 hours of sailing. Its only until march 31st and you have to cruise by sept 30th. My cruise would be covered under that but i think i'd feel better to have the option to cancel for any reason.

[maryann2]

22 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

The gold standard for CFAR coverage is probably Princess, at 100% back (as FCC). We bought it every time, until they stopped selling to Quebec.  I believe that at one time Manulife here in Canada also offered CFAR, at 75% IIRC, but I'm not sure if it's still available.  I think the 75% back was a pretty universal number for those companies offering CFAR, but that was pre-COVID.  Hopefully other folks will chime in with their experiences.

I have purchased Carnival insurance this time. It is CFAR with 75% as FCC. If you need to cancel for illness or flight issues etc it is 100% cash refund. Can book it up to final payment.

Normally I have insurance to cover time spent in a country after a cruise but for my next trip flying home straight away.

[Magicat]

5 hours ago, christinand said:

Royal caribbean has a cruise with confidence policy where you can get a 100% fcc up to 48 hours of sailing. Its only until march 31st and you have to cruise by sept 30th. My cruise would be covered under that but i think i'd feel better to have the option to cancel for any reason.

If you test positive for Covid from what I understand you can cancel the day of

[Magicat]

Cruising on Sunday out of Galveston, we have 2 negative Antigen tests in hand so we are good to go. 

Edited February 19, 2022 by Magicat

[Barwick Cruiser]

22 hours ago, christinand said:

Royal caribbean has a cruise with confidence policy where you can get a 100% fcc up to 48 hours of sailing. Its only until march 31st and you have to cruise by sept 30th. My cruise would be covered under that but i think i'd feel better to have the option to cancel for any reason.

With RC, and Celebrity for that matter, you can cancel for any reason up to 48 hours ahead and receive fcc for the full amount less taxes and port fees which go to your credit card. And as another poster indicated you can cancel up to boarding if you have a positive Covid test and receive a full refund. 
 

Biggest issue I would have is praying for a negative antigen test at the end of the cruise to get back home to Canada. 

[TeaBag]

3 hours ago, Barwick Cruiser said:

Biggest issue I would have is praying for a negative antigen test at the end of the cruise to get back home to Canada. 

That is exactly our issue also.  We have 2 more days to make up our mind whether to cancel before FP or go.  We plan on staying in Hawaii for about 10 days after leaving the cruise ship and the thought of winding up in a US hospital scares me.  I have to think positively.  Of course, we could pay for the cruise now and get a FCC if we decided to cancel later.

[1kaper]

Barring any of us coming down with COVID 19 at the last minute, we are going. Everything is now lined up (and fully refundable).  I'm getting excited now. 

 

We will be testing at Walmart prior to our flight.  Unfortunately , we will have to get tested again before we board as the earliest we can test for our cruise is Wednesday. We fly out Wednesday morning at 5 am.  I'm travelling with a 7 year old so I'm not waking him up in the middle of the night to test and don't want to leave it that long either.  Plan is to use CVS or Walgreens to test in Houston the day we arrive. 
We are flying into IAH and staying 2 nights in Houston. My husband will head to Galveston to pick up the rental car and my son and I will head to our hotel.  The 3rd night we'll stay in Galveston and return the car at the rental place (I could not get a drop off rental at the company we are using.  I have a corporate rate so it was cheaper to Uber to Galveston). 

I am doing a swim/run race the morning of embarkation for fun.  I have a clamshell booked on Half Moon Key, a beach break with snorkelling on another stop, and purchased a day pass for Margaritaville in Nassau.  Key West, if we stop, we will just wander.  Maybe rent a couple of bikes. 

 

I bought SwitchHealth antigen tests to do prior to disembarking from the ship.  Back up plan is CVS or Walgreens, Plan C is testing at airport.  We will take Lyft back to the airport and fly out the same day. 

 

If one of us tests positive, the others will return home.  If my child is positive, I'll stay with him and my husband will return home (my job is more flexible).  We have purchased the Covid 19 coverage.  And we have medical/trip insurance through work and the credit cards we booked. 

I *think* everything is covered.  I do need to purchase the drink package before we go. 

Edited March 1, 2022 by 1kaper

[Sophie's Mom1]

We recently cancelled our July cruise to Bermuda with Oceania. (our 2nd Bermuda cruise cancelled during the pandemic) However, we are going to fly to Bermuda in September and stay a week,  Still, we do really miss cruising but don't yet feel confident that it will be "smooth sailing"!

Can't wait to get back on a ship...maybe next winter.

[Magicat]

So we returned from our cruise out of Galveston.  Had a great time.  Sailing from Texas presented their own challenges to the Covid protocols.  Elevators were packed, masks were supposed to be worn but many people did not, citing the mask mandate was going to expire next week so why wait?  Hand washing after bathroom breaks was back to being optional by many men. The youth surprisingly were still maintaining the safety protocols which was nice to see.

 

Had a antigen test performed today and proudly I am negative.  Perhaps the vaccine works after all.  Personally, my DW and I will still wear masks in crowded venues and airplanes.  Hand washing was never an issue and we will continue to use sanitizer as often as we are using it now.  We are anxiously waiting for April to go on our 2nd of this year.  Enjoy cruising everyone! 

[1kaper]

4 minutes ago, Magicat said:

So we returned from our cruise out of Galveston.  Had a great time.  Sailing from Texas presented their own challenges to the Covid protocols.  Elevators were packed, masks were supposed to be worn but many people did not, citing the mask mandate was going to expire next week so why wait?  Hand washing after bathroom breaks was back to being optional by many men. The youth surprisingly were still maintaining the safety protocols which was nice to see.

 

Had a antigen test performed today and proudly I am negative.  Perhaps the vaccine works after all.  Personally, my DW and I will still wear masks in crowded venues and airplanes.  Hand washing was never an issue and we will continue to use sanitizer as often as we are using it now.  We are anxiously waiting for April to go on our 2nd of this year.  Enjoy cruising everyone! 

Where did you get tested?
I'm just curious because we will have to be tested when we arrive in Houston to get on the ship since we will be there early.  I was going to try CVS or Walgreens. 

[Magicat]

We left from Mexico and got tested at a local lab here the day before our flight, 2 days before the cruise.  On today's test, I got tested at work.  

[Blackduck59]

9 minutes ago, Magicat said:

We left from Mexico and got tested at a local lab here the day before our flight, 2 days before the cruise.  On today's test, I got tested at work.  

Thanks for your report but it is a little misleading for the "Canadian" board.

From previous posts by you I'm under the impression that although you are Canadian, you actually live in Mexico. Were you testing for return to Canada or Mexico?

I did find your cheerful post refreshing in that you went on your cruise without difficulty. 

I'm shaking my head that there are no less than 10 threads just on the "Canadian" forum about "testing".

Maybe you could start a "we went on a cruise and had a great time" thread here on the Canadian board.

 

Edited March 2, 2022 by Blackduck59
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