Cruising choices with an active Pandemic

[trevella]

I am just surprised the Olympics haven't come up more frequently in discussions - not that many months away. Will they? can they? postpone or cancel if the epidemic ramps up.

They certainly can. London is the apparent fallback option.

I don't even think the epidemic needs to ramp up all that much. The question is really at what point will the IOC want the sort of certainty that really just isn't likely to be available.

 

[Anna]

Currently on Sapphire Princess 21 day Grand Asia which departed Singapore 2 February. This was also sold as an 11 day and 10 day cruise. Due back in Singapore tomorrow and Captain has just announced the 10 day has been completely cancelled. No Corona virus on board though. Now have to find a flight home earlier than planned.

I'm absolutely unsurprised. That ship has loads of sickness. Go back through pax reviews on Cruise Critic and TripAdvisor and complaints about illness are rife, especially about cold/flu symptoms. It's about time Princess did something about it. I'll also be unsurprised if it turns out there is covid 19 onboard. There were plenty of opportunities for transmission in December and January.

 

[Anna]

I am leaving Sydney tomorrow in my first ever cruise. 9 days in the South Pacific. Initially Royal Caribbean were banning everyone with a Hong Kong or Chinese passport. They have just rescinded that policy but anyone who has been in Hong Kong or China recently wont be allowed to travel. I am not too concerned about the situation. I am more concerned about seasickness and my wife not liking the cruising experience. I think it’s minimal risk and not worth canceling a much needed holiday.

Bon voyage Ozrick, I hope you and Mrs Ozrick have an illness-free, happy cruise.

 

[Anna]

The Guardian reports - The MS Westerdam, which has 1,455 passengers and 802 crew on board, will dock at the Cambodian sea port of Sihanoukville on Thursday, Holland America Line said.

Best of luck to them in Sihanoukville. Having been there myself in January I can honestly say the place is 80% under construction, including no paved roads or footpaths in the CBD. It looks like there was recently a cyclone or a tsunami or something, but there wasn't, just an invasion of Chinese-led construction.

I just saw an Aussie Westerdam pax interviewed on ABC24. He said his travel home will be via Vietnam.

 

[SydneySwan]

Going on Explorer Dream on Sunday Feb 16 for a 7 day Sydney - Tasmania cruise. Given the China travel ban hopefully the risks are low and that Tasmania doesn't start banning ships from the mainland!

 

[drron]

All Tassie cases have proved negative for covid-19.So once you're there no problems.

 

[Anna]

From the Princess website -

Diamond Princess Cancellations

M005  12-Feb-20 
M005B  14-Feb-20 
M006  20-Feb-20 
M006D  20-Feb-20 
M006B  22-Feb-20 
M006C  25-Feb-20 
M007  28-Feb-20 
M007B  1-Mar-20 
M007C  4-Mar-20 
M008  7-Mar-20 
M008B  9-Mar-20 
M008C  12-Mar-20 
Princess website is also reporting some Sapphire Princess cancellations in addition to the one mentioned in posts above, and many voyage modifications to avoid HK and (other) Chinese ports. This must be costing Princess's insurers and reinsurers an absolute fortune.

 

[tgh]

Old news really as it all moves so fast :

Update: 2/12/2020 3:30am Pacific Time
Westerdam is now sailing for Sihanoukville, Cambodia, where the current cruise will end. We will arrive at 7:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, Feb. 13 and will remain in port for several days for disembarkation. Guests will be able to go ashore. All approvals have been received and we are extremely grateful to the Cambodian authorities for their support.
Guests will disembark in Sihanoukville over the next few days and transfer via charter flights to Phnom Penh for forward travel home. Holland America Line will arrange and pay for all flights home, in addition to the full cruise refund and 100% future cruise credit already communicated.
Future Westerdam voyage plans are still being finalized. The Feb. 15 cruise scheduled to embark in Yokohama has been cancelled. No cancellations for cruises with departure dates beyond Feb. 15 have been announced at this time. However, we are assessing the impact of current port restrictions in Asia on cruises departing Feb. 29 or later. We will communicate details as they become finalized in the next few days.
Westerdam was on a 14-day cruise that departed Hong Kong Feb.1. There are 1,455 guests and 802 crew on board. The cruise was previously scheduled to disembark Feb. 15 in Yokohama, Japan.
All guests on board are healthy and despite erroneous reports there are no known or suspected cases of coronavirus on board, nor have their ever been

 

[I love to travel]

Old news really as it all moves so fast :

Update: 2/12/2020 3:30am Pacific Time
Westerdam is now sailing for Sihanoukville, Cambodia, where the current cruise will end. We will arrive at 7:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, Feb. 13 and will remain in port for several days for disembarkation. Guests will be able to go ashore. All approvals have been received and we are extremely grateful to the Cambodian authorities for their support.
Guests will disembark in Sihanoukville over the next few days and transfer via charter flights to Phnom Penh for forward travel home. Holland America Line will arrange and pay for all flights home, in addition to the full cruise refund and 100% future cruise credit already communicated.
Future Westerdam voyage plans are still being finalized. The Feb. 15 cruise scheduled to embark in Yokohama has been cancelled. No cancellations for cruises with departure dates beyond Feb. 15 have been announced at this time. However, we are assessing the impact of current port restrictions in Asia on cruises departing Feb. 29 or later. We will communicate details as they become finalized in the next few days.
Westerdam was on a 14-day cruise that departed Hong Kong Feb.1. There are 1,455 guests and 802 crew on board. The cruise was previously scheduled to disembark Feb. 15 in Yokohama, Japan.
All guests on board are healthy and despite erroneous reports there are no known or suspected cases of coronavirus on board, nor have their ever been

I feel a bit sorry for everyone here because it does seem like an overreaction.

 

[Anna]

More Asia cruise cancellations. TTG reports:
All of Norwegian Spirit’s Asia itineraries from 15 April to 7 Dec have been cancelled, with customers booked on those sailings to receive a full refund, 10% future credit and $300 per person towards redundant flights.

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A voyage departing from Cape Town on 22 March, due to finish in Singapore, will now be rerouted to Piraeus, Greece.

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Guests can either sail the modified itinerary and get a 50% refund or cancel before 14 February for all their money back.

 

[I love to travel]

7 Dec is that a typo?

 

[DC3]

I would draw @Cruiser Elite to this and that it is confirmed 'airborne', and his potential trip to China.

Not his first rodeo.

 

[Pushka]

A ray of hope for a princess Diamond passengers.

https://www.princess.com/news/pdfs/cdc-letter-diamond-princess-021220.pdf

 

[Anna]

7 Dec is that a typo?

It may be a typo by TTG but I just cut and pasted from their site

 

[Anna]

More cancellations and route changes reported here: Coronavirus: Celebrity Cruises cancels sailing and changes itinerary - Cruise Trade News

Cancellations are becoming widespread. Even though cruise lines are promising full refunds for cancellations, some pax are reporting that some travel agencies are imposing cancellation fees of up to 70% of the amount paid

Costa Smerelda was briefly quarantined in Civitavecchia a few days ago causing delays to disembarkation, but I can't find much out about that. Possibly 2 covid 19 cases onboard.

 

[trevella]

Nice advertising:

 

[Pushka]

More cancellations and route changes reported here: Coronavirus: Celebrity Cruises cancels sailing and changes itinerary - Cruise Trade News

Cancellations are becoming widespread. Even though cruise lines are promising full refunds for cancellations, some pax are reporting that some travel agencies are imposing cancellation fees of up to 70% of the amount paid

Costa Smerelda was briefly quarantined in Civitavecchia a few days ago causing delays to disembarkation, but I can't find much out about that. Possibly 2 covid 19 cases onboard.

They should not do that as the cruise lines would be refunding the TA’s (assuming it was collected by them) and the passengers cannot travel not through their choice.

 

[sinophile888]

I have just booked QM2 from Perth to Sydney in a guaranteed balcony cabin, 17 nights, for $1349pp. The current QM2 Asia itinerary has been cancelled and the ship is now cruising direct to Perth from coughet. I assume this replacement cruise will get the ship to Sydney for the scheduled March 6th departure back to Fremantle and on to Cape Town and Southampton.

 

[SydneySwan]

I have just booked QM2 from Perth to Sydney in a guaranteed balcony cabin, 17 nights, for $1349pp. The current QM2 Asia itinerary has been cancelled and the ship is now cruising direct to Perth from coughet. I assume this replacement cruise will get the ship to Sydney for the scheduled March 6th departure back to Fremantle and on to Cape Town and Southampton.

Let us hope so - I have friends from NZ arriving in Sydney on March 5 to board QM2 to Cape Town on March 6.

 

[Pushka]

I have just booked QM2 from Perth to Sydney in a guaranteed balcony cabin, 17 nights, for $1349pp. The current QM2 Asia itinerary has been cancelled and the ship is now cruising direct to Perth from coughet. I assume this replacement cruise will get the ship to Sydney for the scheduled March 6th departure back to Fremantle and on to Cape Town and Southampton.

Well done! That is an amazing price.