Cruising choices with an active Pandemic

[I love to travel]

Brother is on Majestic. Cruise cancellation announced over PA last night everyone to get off in Fremantle at this stage.

 

[Pushka]

Princess have just announced a whole lot more cancellations for Sapphire and Majestic Princesses. Looks to me like basically their entire northern spring Asian cruise seasons up to June. Diamond remains cancelled up to 12 March but I suspect it's only a matter of time before more cancellations are announced for it too.

Lots of opportunities for Aussie ports to attract ships I would say. Could be good for Kangaroo Island and other bushfire-affected ports.

I wonder if Aussie pax returning from Westerdam will now be quarantined and if so will they be allowed to self isolate at home?

I can’t see the 15 March happening because the crew will commence their 14 day isolation on the ship only once all passengers have been relocated. And the earliest that will start in full (non US) is around the 21st.

 

[tgh]

Silver Spirit has sailed from Manila on its next cruise with a whole 211 passengers aboard….
Passengers still expect to make most of the ports on the Itinerary except Halong Bay.
They are still scheduled to visit Da Nang, Chan May, Ho Chi Min City and Bangkok.

My thoughts are that they are 211 very brave people and I wish them luck.

 

[Anna]

Diamond Princess now cancelled until 29 April, but expected to resume for Japan 'Golden Week' whatever that is.

Any Princess pax who cancelled Asian cruises after 20 January and which Princess has now cancelled anyway, will be eligible for some compensation, tba by Princess.

Celebrity Millennium is relocating to LA for its northern spring cruise season (was in Singapore).

 

[zig]

Diamond Princess now cancelled until 29 April, but expected to resume for Japan 'Golden Week' whatever that is.

Any Princess pax who cancelled Asian cruises after 20 January and which Princess has now cancelled anyway, will be eligible for some compensation, tba by Princess.

Celebrity Millennium is relocating to LA for its northern spring cruise season (was in Singapore).

Golden week is a group of national holidays at the end of April/ beginning of May in Japan. It is a peak travel time in Japan.

 

[Anna]

Finally - from the Guardian

"The Australian PM, Scott Morrison, has announced Qantas will fly home Australian citizens stuck on the stricken Diamond Princess cruise liner in Japan this Wednesday.

There are more than 200 Australians on the ship. They will face a further 14 days in quarantine at the Howard Springs facility near the Australian city of Darwin."

Wednesday was the day they were supposed to be allowed off the ship anyway. Another 14 days in quarantine, poor buggers.

 

[Pushka]

Finally - from the Guardian

"The Australian PM, Scott Morrison, has announced Qantas will fly home Australian citizens stuck on the stricken Diamond Princess cruise liner in Japan this Wednesday.

There are more than 200 Australians on the ship. They will face a further 14 days in quarantine at the Howard Springs facility near the Australian city of Darwin."

Wednesday was the day they were supposed to be allowed off the ship anyway. Another 14 days in quarantine, poor buggers.

And they are bringing the NZers back as well. And they will fly on to NZ. Really they had no other choice but to make them sit out another 14 days though. And hope they trace the Westerdam passengers up too. Not to put them in one location but to ensure they properly stay in self isolation.

I cannot see the Japanese authorities simply letting everyone off, well, now it’s projected to be the 21st because of all the testing. And for those who didn’t fly on the US flights I imagine their passport has been nicely tagged when they disembark in the US.

 

[Anna]

“We are not entirely convinced that the quarantine procedures on that ship were 100% effective,” said Prof Dianne Stephens, deputy chief health officer for the Northern Territory (NT).

I hope they have a better legal basis than "not entirely convinced" for mandatory detention of Australian citizens. "Not entirely convinced" would get laughed out of court in any other context. "We're not entirely convinced that you didn't deserve 12 demerit points on your licence so we're taking it away anyway". "We're not entirely convinced you didn't commit that armed robbery so we're putting you on remand anyway". What a joke. I highly doubt that the Public Health Act permits a health officer to issue a mandatory quarantine order on the basis of "not being entirely convinced". The usual language is along the lines of "reasonable cause to suspect" which I reckon they may not have here seeing that nobody seems to be reasonably certain of very much about covid 19.

 

[Pushka]

“We are not entirely convinced that the quarantine procedures on that ship were 100% effective,” said Prof Dianne Stephens, deputy chief health officer for the Northern Territory (NT).

I hope they have a better legal basis than "not entirely convinced" for mandatory detention of Australian citizens. "Not entirely convinced" would get laughed out of court in any other context. "We're not entirely convinced that you didn't deserve 12 demerit points on your licence so we're taking it away anyway". "We're not entirely convinced you didn't commit that armed robbery so we're putting you on remand anyway". What a joke. I highly doubt that the Public Health Act permits a health officer to issue a mandatory quarantine order on the basis of "not being entirely convinced". The usual language is along the lines of "reasonable cause to suspect" which I reckon they may not have here seeing that nobody seems to be reasonably certain of very much about covid 19.

Would not a “reasonable person” come to the same conclusion?

 

[SydneySwan]

Fear virus in full focus on Explorer Dream - 7 day Sydney to Tasmania and back - which Mrs SydneySwan and I are currently cruising on.

It has about 1000 passengers out of a capacity of around 2700. I understand original bookings were north of 2000. Many Chinese were forced to cancel and many local, mainly Asian Australians cancelled in the last two weeks prior to departure. We have met one Chinese Australian lady from Sydney who is the only one of her group of 8 who travelled. The other 7 cancelled 3 days prior to departure for no refund. One person on the cruise has been told by her employer, a Chinese Australian business on Sydney’s north shore, she must not return to work until 2 weeks after she returns from the cruise!

We have just reached Hobart - waiting for clearance to go on land. Not in doubt surely?

 

[Pushka]

Fear virus in full focus on Explorer Dream - 7 day Sydney to Tasmania and back - which Mrs SydneySwan and I are currently cruising on.

It has about 1000 passengers out of a capacity of around 2700. I understand original bookings were north of 2000. Many Chinese were forced to cancel and many local, mainly Asian Australians cancelled in the last two weeks prior to departure. We have met one Chinese Australian lady from Sydney who is the only one of her group of 8 who travelled. The other 7 cancelled 3 days prior to departure for no refund. One person on the cruise has been told by her employer, a Chinese Australian business on Sydney’s north shore, she must not return to work until 2 weeks after she returns from the cruise!

We have just reached Hobart - waiting for clearance to go on land. Not in doubt surely?

Oh good grief. It’s domestic travel and she needs a quarantine? It’s out of hand.

 

[SydneySwan]

Oh good grief. It’s domestic travel and she needs a quarantine? It’s out of hand.

As I said - fear virus in full swing! The request is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[p--and--t]

As I said - fear virus in full swing! The request is absolutely ridiculous.

I would be challenging that. "I will stay home for two weeks if you pay me full pay and allowances, otherwise I'm off to the fair work commission".

 

[Pushka]

I would be challenging that. "I will stay home for two weeks if you pay me full pay and allowances, otherwise I'm off to the fair work commission".

Id expect that to be the case for an employee to be honest. Unfortunately we aren’t as we are self employed and it might be something our clients might want and it’s up to the toss right now as to whether we can risk that.

 

[Pushka]

@Anna. You are in for a treat. Sapphire Princess is coming to Australia 6 months early now with some great deals going on sale on 27 February. I know you love that boat.

 

[odysseus]

Guess we have to see if they're great deals or just standard Princess pricing though...

 

[Pushka]

Guess we have to see if they're great deals or just standard Princess pricing though...

They’d have to pay Anna to board the Sapphire I Think.

 

[Anna]

When I think of Sapphire Princess the main things I remember are the constant irritating attempts to upsell, and feeling off a lot of the time.

But it is an attractive ship, the anytime dining was good, Sabatini's and Sterling Steakhouse were great apart from the USD29 price tag (although I ended up tipping extra at both for great service) and for a shorter cruise I would maybe do it if the price was right for a balcony cabin. (Not sure I will ever go for a window cabin again after Diamond Princess , and although I've done inside cabins twice in my life I'm not a fan).

 

[p--and--t]

When I think of Sapphire Princess the main things I remember are the constant irritating attempts to upsell,

I think you are describing most ocean going ships in the last 3-4 years from any line except the smaller all inclusive ones.

 

[tgh]

I was not following David Abel , but sad to see both he and his wife test positive and schlepped off to a hostel with no social media access … hmmm…..