Cruising choices with an active Pandemic

[tgh]

UPDATED Friday, February 21, 2020 4:00pm EST
Update to Crystal’s Asia Sailings
As we continue to monitor the evolving situation as it relates to COVID-19, Crystal has made the decision to cancel the remainder of Crystal Symphony’s March and early April sailings that were scheduled to sail from Singapore.
The following sailings have been cancelled:
•March 1, 2020 roundtrip Singapore
•March 1, 2020 Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
•March 16, 2020 roundtrip Singapore
•March 16, 2020 Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
•March 31, 2020 roundtrip Singapore
•March 31, 2020 Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

 

[Pushka]

And now four Australians who were negative in Japan have tested positive. There is a twitter feed of an American who has become quite public in the USA media, as he waits out his 14 day block from re entering the USA by showing all his activities in Tokyo. Eating in restaurants etc. He is blocking anyone who tweets that he should be following the Japanese guidelines to stay isolated. Consequently people are communicating with those places he has frequented and telling them to show strict hygiene because they may have been exposed. What on earth was Japan thinking just letting people loose like that.

Post automatically merged: Feb 22, 2020

UPDATED Friday, February 21, 2020 4:00pm EST
Update to Crystal’s Asia Sailings
As we continue to monitor the evolving situation as it relates to COVID-19, Crystal has made the decision to cancel the remainder of Crystal Symphony’s March and early April sailings that were scheduled to sail from Singapore.
The following sailings have been cancelled:
•March 1, 2020 roundtrip Singapore
•March 1, 2020 Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
•March 16, 2020 roundtrip Singapore
•March 16, 2020 Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
•March 31, 2020 roundtrip Singapore
•March 31, 2020 Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

I understand that Crystal doesn’t refund but rather an FCC although that may have changed now.

 

[Pushka]

We heard about this from colleagues the other day and now it has been announced.

UQ researchers create first coronavirus vaccine candidate

Researchers from the University of Queensland say they have met a key milestone in a fast-tracked bid to develop a coronavirus vaccine.

www.news.com.au

And now 6 Australians in isolation have tested positive.

 

[tgh]

An unofficial SS rep has just posted that because of this announcement Silversea will now have no option but to cancel all Asian cruises

Cruise Ship Passengers

Cruise Ship Passengers

travel.state.gov

Passengers on Cruise Ships

U.S. citizens should reconsider travel by cruise ship to or within Asia. U.S. citizens planning travel by cruise ship elsewhere should be aware that, due to the current public health situation, many countries have implemented strict screening procedures in order to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. This is a dynamic situation and U.S. citizens traveling by ship may be impacted by travel restrictions affecting their itineraries or ability to disembark, or may be subject to quarantine procedures implemented by the local authorities. While the U.S. government has successfully evacuated hundreds of our citizens in the previous weeks, repatriation flights should not be relied upon as an option for U.S. citizens under the potential risk of quarantine by local authorities. U.S. citizens should evaluate the risks associated with choosing to remain in an area that may be subject to quarantine and take the appropriate proactive measures. Passengers who plan to travel by cruise ship should contact their cruise line companies directly for further information on the current rules and restrictions, and continue to monitor the Travel.state.gov website and see the latest information from the CDC: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/cruise-ship-asia.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

NY Times =

‘We’re in a Petri Dish’: How a Coronavirus Ravaged a Cruise Ship (Published 2020)

More than three days passed before Japan imposed a quarantine. That delay and other missteps helped produce the largest outbreak of the virus beyond China.

www.nytimes.com

‘We’re in a Petri Dish’: How a Coronavirus Ravaged a Cruise Ship
The delay by the Japanese government, along with slapdash and ineffective containment measures during the two-week isolation period, would help turn the Diamond Princess into a floating epidemiological disaster.

 

[Pushka]

Sapphires Deals released for tomorrow

http://static.cdn.responsys.net/i2/responsysimages/content/princessau/20076_Sapphire_2020_6.0_LR_spreads.pdf

 

[get me outta here]

I’m hoping that Seabourn releases some good pricing, haven’t seen any yet though.

 

[Pushka]

With the involvement of Italy now, many Med cruises are at risk. Early days yet and we have until May before we have to pay.
Celebrity now refusing boarding of people who have travelled through Northern Italy. Given the use of trains they have no way of checking. Our cruise starts and ends in Rome and they have stated that anyone going through Italy will have extensive pre boarding checks. Um, that will be everyone!

 

[tgh]

Logically once (if) the Pandemic is in full swing there will be little point in quarantine or indeed screening because everyone can be presumed a carrier.
How to run a cruise anywhere under these circumstances will be … interesting…..

There is no information at all about re-infection.
Are folks immune after recovery ?
If not what will be the reinfection and recovery rate ?
Will they be carriers?

There was a lot of early science available and now it has suddenly gone quiet… that leads to suspicion that there is bad news lurking…...

 

[Pushka]

Logically once (if) the Pandemic is in full swing there will be little point in quarantine or indeed screening because everyone can be presumed a carrier.
How to run a cruise anywhere under these circumstances will be … interesting…..

There is no information at all about re-infection.
Are folks immune after recovery ?
If not what will be the reinfection and recovery rate ?
Will they be carriers?

There was a lot of early science available and now it has suddenly gone quiet… that leads to suspicion that there is bad news lurking…...

I think its because all their theories have been blown out of the water.

I was looking just now at changing our cruise - my gosh if this is still all up in the air come the summer Med cruise season, there will be carnage. On the other hand all the Americans will be staying at home.

Prior to the main cruise we are doing a small Yacht charter only through Greece and going to all the Greek Islands. Only 35 passengers. Have no concern about that. Its the Rome - Rome one that touches Greece and Malta that will be the challenge.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

We are booked on a med cruise in October - 10 days Athens to Venice. On Silverseas Shadow. It will be interesting if the americans bale out on this cruise as the last time we were on the Shadow was after the tsunami in asia and the ship only had 100 passengers, there was more crew than passengers !!

 

[zig]

My next cruise is in the Galápagos Islands on Silver Galapagos in June. At least the ship spend the whole year in the Galapagos, however if CoVid19 continues to spread who knows the impact.

 

[disruptivedolphin]

Japanese cruise ship's voyages canceled | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

The operator of the cruise ship Asuka Two has decided to cancel all tours scheduled to sail from ports in Japan in the next two months. It's the first time that a Japanese shipping company has announced a cancellation due to the spread of the coronavirus.

www3.nhk.or.jp

The operator says it will cancel all voyages that depart or arrive in ports in Japan from March to April.

They include a 100-day cruise that leaves Yokohama and sails around Asia, Europe and the United States.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Logically once (if) the Pandemic is in full swing there will be little point in quarantine or indeed screening because everyone can be presumed a carrier.
How to run a cruise anywhere under these circumstances will be … interesting…..

Well my take all along has been that eventually it will be so widespread that travel bans will serve no purpose as Convid 19 will be out and about.

However I believe what they are trying to do is to contain things for a while so that a vaccine can be developed and employed to lessen the effects of Convid 19 before it has spread far and wide.

Are folks immune after recovery ?

As with other corona-viruses one would assume unless it mutates (ie as with the common flu where you need to get a new flue shot each season) that they will be immune.

Will they be carriers?

Most unlikely. ie as with other corona-viruses

 

[juddles]

In Life there come some challenges. It is normally a numbers game. As that is pretty much how the universe works out. Insurance companies are experts in this.

In the current climate, to board a contained receptacle like a ship is the most insane thing you can do, bar a holiday in Wuhan. This virus is just starting. If you feel that you will get it and still be ok, then go for it with current expectations of travel. But the next few months will be awful with regard to cruises and travel, as the various governments transition between their current radical and nonsensical containment attempts, to simply letting everyone survive or not....

 

[Pushka]

My thinking is that the ships won’t be doing the TAs to Euros from the USA to the Med this year and will fill them with Caribbean Islands because we all know the virus will never reach there! April will tell.

 

[Anna]

The weather in the Caribbean from June - September is not that great. Humid, rainy and the potential for hurricanes especially in Aug-Sep. I wouldn't be booking a Caribbean cruise for the northern summer (or at all actually, as most of the islands that accept cruise ships are already swamped beyond their comfortable capacity on the days that ships are in port).

 

[Pushka]

The weather in the Caribbean from June - September is not that great. Humid, rainy and the potential for hurricanes especially in Aug-Sep. I wouldn't be booking a Caribbean cruise for the northern summer (or at all actually, as most of the islands that accept cruise ships are already swamped beyond their comfortable capacity on the days that ships are in port).

I think the industry is in a world of pain then. And I have never had an interest in the Caribbean anyway. Maybe lots of upper East coast round trips? The Americans aren’t going to want to travel right now.

 

[Anna]

Yes upper East coast. There's also Hawaii and the Pacific northwest. "California Coastal" is popular too apparently, with or without a Mexican port thrown in.

 

[tgh]

It has passed my mind that RCI/Silversea may find some weasel word games excuse to avoid refunds.
IF the pandemic is formally announced in the next 10 days, one assumes they will have to cancel almost everything and that will trigger refund quantum's that they simply may not have.
My next call is the 9 march when I plan to cancel if they have not already done so…
I have few backups if they default .. the TA , the card issuer, but it will all be very messy..
It may be made much worse by the progressive demise of many of those affected.. so estates will be chasing the money… lawyers rejoice...