Cruising choices with an active Pandemic

I have bitten the bullet and booked a cruise.

I received a past passenger email from Cunard last week with some cruises which would be open to the general public the next day. It showed a Sydney to Sydney circumnavigation on the Queen Elizabeth. This was slightly tempting but I decided to research other options and up popped a 25 day Perth to Perth circumnavigation. So perfect for us.

My travel enabler prefers the Queen Elizabeth to the Queen Mary 2 and he hates flying (especially with me as I used to have a lot of trouble with my oxygen levels at altitude and now carry an oxygen concentrator). The cruise leaves Perth in November 2022. So I am hoping that everything will have settled down by then. If not, our deposit can be refunded up to 90 days before the cruise leaves. Our TA was able to get us a cabin half way between the middle and aft stairwells, which we like.

This will be our 8th Cunard cruise (and 27th in total) so we know what to expect.

I am excited to have a cruise booked which suits us so perfectly.
 
Currently Viking hasn't released their policy about making vaccinations mandatory. They are starting 'all uk' cruises in the middle of the year. Testing etc, but no vaccinations required. That surely must change.
 
Royal Caribbean is beginning cruises out of the Bahamas in June.But you have to be fully vaccinated to board except for under 18s who have to have a negative Covid test.

But there are facing a backlash.

However those leading the backlash are people I never want to meet on a cruise.
 
Royal Caribbean is beginning cruises out of the Bahamas in June.But you have to be fully vaccinated to board except for under 18s who have to have a negative Covid test.

But there are facing a backlash.

However those leading the backlash are people I never want to meet on a cruise.
I completely agree with you, they definitely don’t sound like folk I want to meet onboard. I don’t think Royal Caribbean has to worry about going bankrupt by losing their business! I also think being vaccinated should be a criteria of boarding once we have all had the chance to be vaccinated.
 
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What a dramatic news story. Commenting about posts with "100 likes" behind them claiming the company will go bust.

Even 88,776,000 of Trump's followers don't agree with them. ;-)
 
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addendum.. we aksherley might do a world cruise sometime before we start daisy pushing.. but not an itinerary like this..at a time like this
Why folks imagine that a world recently eviscerated by Covid will be a pleasant experience quite evades me
 
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The CDC has now released guidelines for cruise lines to undertake simulated or passenger restricted cruises using US ports.

Basically vaccination is needed for passengers and crew.
 

Australian cruise line Scenic has been forced to cancel an exciting program of Kimberley sailings for the revolutionary Eclipse discovery yacht because it couldn’t get agreement on permits and approvals.​


 

Australian cruise line Scenic has been forced to cancel an exciting program of Kimberley sailings for the revolutionary Eclipse discovery yacht because it couldn’t get agreement on permits and approvals.​


I'm waiting for Viking to make a decision on their Egypt River cruises that start again in August given that CDC has stated recently that Egypt is a total no go zone now. Full payment for a 28 trip is due in a few weeks. Of course we can't go, but will be interesting to see the dialogue that Viking tries out.
 
Quote from above article: "The Scenic decision will be a big blow to the Kimberley region, where local businesses and Aboriginal tourism operators were looking to restart experiences. A recent Northern Territory decision about passengers and crew numbers aboard ships in its waters has cost local businesses more than $20 million."

I guess this pointed statement has been somewhat balanced by the fact that Coral Exhibitions has taken advantage of the problems being faced by the internationally crewed ships by having all three of their locally crewed fleet operating in the Kimberley all through winter.
 
The problem for the Kimberleys is that the ships that have or almost certainly will cancel make up nearly 50% of the passenger capacity.
2 Ponant ships - 316 guests.
Scenic eclipse - 188 guests.
Silver Explorer - 144 guests

The 2 Coral cruises vessele - 270 guests.
Caledonian Sky-99 guests.This ship is owned by Noble Caledonia which is 50% owned by Australia's APT company.
 
So on CC there is a thread about what if you get Covid while cruising. !!
Silversea policy is all staff and guests must be fully vacinated to embark.
But the latest update includes =

"Safe, Timely Return Home
Silversea has developed a robust repatriation plan should any guest or crew member fall ill with COVID-19 while on board one of our ships. We have worked closely with local authorities to ensure that immediate medical attention is provided should the need arise, and have strengthened and upgraded our telemedicine consultations. Silversea will cover COVID-19-related expenses for onboard medical and repatriation costs."

 

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