Cruising choices with an active Pandemic

[Chicken]

Turned out to be a false positive as per today's MOH release in Singapore

Which makes an even stronger example of the problem with cruise ships: You are stuck together for too long, eat together for too long, facemask is not possible as the journey is days not hours, so one scare and everything is down the worst case scenario.

I don't see how this is all worth it.

 

[odysseus]

Well I dunno about Genting Dream operating 'for months'. Looks like they only started on 6 Nov.

Genting assures measures in place to ensure first cruise to nowhere is safe amid Covid-19 pandemic

There are protocols to turn the 19-deck ship around if there is an outbreak. Read more at straitstimes.com.

www.straitstimes.com

They've been operating out of Taiwan since July.

They moved to Singapore from November as it was opening up there, presumably as a larger, more affluent market, plus worthwhile to relocate.

 

[dajop]

Which makes an even stronger example of the problem with cruise ships: You are stuck together for too long, eat together for too long, facemask is not possible as the journey is days not hours, so one scare and everything is down the worst case scenario.

I don't see how this is all worth it.

I’d say in the Australian context just not worth it - even with border closures there’s plenty to see and do (even once Melbourne relaxed to 25km probably still plenty to do in that radius for many)

Bur in Singapore there isn’t a whole stack of variety of things to do on the island - essentially it’s a 25km restriction by default (longer depending where on the Island you live!). People who don’t want to take the Covid risk of travelling abroad and expense/ inconvenience/ time of return quarantine, but are used to travelling frequently are willing to take that risk to go on a cruise.

If Australia opened a bubble with the country every flight out would be full! Guaranteed!

 

[Anna]

They've been operating out of Taiwan since July.

Good! I'm relieved there is some hope for the future of cruising as I will miss it if covid kills it off.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

 

[tgh]

The bubble is all a go go..

French small ship set to cruise NZ in sellout return

International cruise liners are banned from Australian waters until March 17. But hope is on the horizon for cruise fans – just across the Pond.

www.afr.com

 

[Major]

I notice it's almost 3 years since the inaugural AFF cruise 25-29 Jan 2018.

Highly unlikely we will have another one in the near future

​

 

[Pushka]

I notice it's almost 3 years since the inaugural AFF cruise 25-29 Jan 2018.

Highly unlikely we will have another one in the near future

​

Who would have dreamt that back then!

 

[sinophile888]

Last week, we were temporarily seduced by a cruise on the Queen Elizabeth. It is sailing from Fremantle to Melbourne, around New Zealand and back to Melbourne in November/December this year. We have a son and baby granddaughter in Melbourne, so I think that is why we were so tempted. We came to our senses the next day. Just for kicks, I looked at travel insurance and the companies I tried didn't offer any overseas policies. So we couldn't have gone anyway.

We have another trip booked on the Queen Mary in March, 2022. It sails from Sydney to Fremantle. We would fly to Melbourne, have a few days there, and fly on to Sydney on the day of the cruise. If it goes ahead and the Covid situation improves remarkably, we may go.

I really want 6-9 months of cruises operating without incident before we take the plunge.

Am I dreamin'?

 

[Port Power]

Last week, we were temporarily seduced by a cruise on the Queen Elizabeth. It is sailing from Fremantle to Melbourne, around New Zealand and back to Melbourne in November/December this year. We have a son and baby granddaughter in Melbourne, so I think that is why we were so tempted. We came to our senses the next day. Just for kicks, I looked at travel insurance and the companies I tried didn't offer any overseas policies. So we couldn't have gone anyway.

We have another trip booked on the Queen Mary in March, 2022. It sails from Sydney to Fremantle. We would fly to Melbourne, have a few days there, and fly on to Sydney on the day of the cruise. If it goes ahead and the Covid situation improves remarkably, we may go.

I really want 6-9 months of cruises operating without incident before we take the plunge.

Am I dreamin'?

I’m booked on that same QM2 cruise. I figure as it is entirely within Australia, it should be fine. Besides, in 14 months’ time ships will have been sailing in Australian waters for long enough for us to know they are safe again (or not). I’ve been on both the other two Queens, and want to go on QM2 just because I do!

I look forward to seeing how cruising gets going again. Ships will have to come to Australia empty of passengers, spending at least 14 days at sea for quarantine purposes. Nevertheless I have not yet read anything to say it’s been approved by government.

 

[drron]

Australia's first cruise since the pandemic ended cruising is already happening.
The Coral Discoverer left Hobart on new Years Day on a 16 day cruise around Tasmania.We have good friends on board who have so far enjoyed the cruise.

Coral Discoverer

Our smallest vessel, Coral Discoverer has a capacity of 72 guests. Her shallow draught and manoeuvrability allow her to go where larger vessels cannot.

www.coralexpeditions.com

Cruise ship to circumnavigate Tasmania next month

The Coral Discoverer cruise ship will take 60 passengers on a 16-night voyage around Tasmania.

www.examiner.com.au

 

[Anna]

I won't be booking a cruise until I've been vaccinated and until insurers are offering adequate cover again. There's another thread about some overtures by insurers for starting to offer covid cover for travel delays and cancellations but they will need to be covering covid medical expenses too before I would feel safe enough travelling OS or on a cruise. I would expect they might require proof of vaccination before offering covid medical expenses cover.

 

[Port Power]

I won't be booking a cruise until I've been vaccinated and until insurers are offering adequate cover again. There's another thread about some overtures by insurers for starting to offer covid cover for travel delays and cancellations but they will need to be covering covid medical expenses too before I would feel safe enough travelling OS or on a cruise. I would expect they might require proof of vaccination before offering covid medical expenses cover.

Which is why it is a good idea to cruise in Australian waters. No medical travel insurance required.

 

[tgh]

We have good friends on board who have so far enjoyed the cruise.

How are they enjoying the food ?

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

We have good friends on board who have so far enjoyed the cruise.

How are they enjoying the food ?

They havent said anything about the food on board ! Have seen lots of photos of lighthouses, and they have been to the top of each one ! They were in Stanley on Saturday and had a lobster lunch at Hurseys and then heading to King Island. I will ask about meals on board.

 

[Pushka]

Which is why it is a good idea to cruise in Australian waters. No medical travel insurance required.

Actually you do need insurance because if something serious happens onboard and you need treatment and to be flown off then you are only covered once you hit land.

 

[tgh]

you are only covered once you hit land

This appears moot ; we rescue folks from au territorial waters regularly, you are covered on Lord Howe , Norfolk, King Island, Kangaroo..etc etc
What is the difference with an AU registered and crewed cruise ship just offshore in AU waters ?
The feds might draw a line in the sand for Panama registered 4000 pass visiting behemoths and rightly so.

 

[sanne]

We have sailed on the Coral Adventurer on a Kimberley cruise 2019. The food was simple but of very good quality. We enjoyed it. They catered for my food allergy better than any other cruise company that we have sailed with ( Silverseas, Regent, Seabourn etc ) so top marks for that.

Ourselves and 3 other couples from overseas are sailing with them mid 2022 but I hope to perhaps do a last minute cruise with them once we have had the vaccination, subject to being able to get some TI.

 

[Anna]

This appears moot

Maybe in your policy wording it is moot. Or maybe you are suggesting people don't get sent a bill for being rescued from the places you mention, in which case they would not need to claim recovery costs because they didn't incur any costs. I'd rather not assume that I won't be sent a bill if I had to get helicoptered off a cruise ship for medical treatment.

Re the comment from someone else about Aust waters - In the TID policies I have taken out in the past it is clear on the application form that being on a cruise ship is considered as a destination in itself even if it is in Aust waters. So if you haven't declared the ship as a destination on your policy application you won't be covered for any claims arising from the cruise. Which might include medical expenses for being treated in the onboard hospital while you wait for the helicopter to come and get you. In 1997 I was charged US200 for seeing a doctor onboard a cruise ship for a 10 minute consultation - I would hate to see the bill for being in the onboard hospital.

Pre covid, on my 'automatic' credit card travel insurance I got free cover for cruise medical expenses onboard. But I had to pay $25 for helicopter extraction cover as it was not automatically included. (Price as at Oct 2019).

When I did a Panama cruise a few years ago I also paid a small amount extra for kidnap and ransom cover (But it's only funny when you don't need it!).

 

[Port Power]

you are only covered once you hit land

This appears moot ; we rescue folks from au territorial waters regularly, you are covered on Lord Howe , Norfolk, King Island, Kangaroo..etc etc
What is the difference with an AU registered and crewed cruise ship just offshore in AU waters ?
The feds might draw a line in the sand for Panama registered 4000 pass visiting behemoths and rightly so.

We were referring to overseas registered ships such as Cunard, not the local ones.

Actually you do need insurance because if something serious happens onboard and you need treatment and to be flown off then you are only covered once you hit land.

I am aware that onboard medical services are user-pay, but wasn’t thinking about if you had a heart attack and needed care on the ship initially, which is remiss of me. In most parts of Australia the ship would head to the nearest port rather than use a helicopter. However I checked, and travel insurance is obtainable for such domestic cruises with the exception of anything pertaining to COVID-19 illness, delay or cancellation. Being a domestic cruise, the usual credit card insurance doesn’t apply.