Cruising choices with an active Pandemic

[k_sheep]

Good plan. Honestly I've got a bunch of trips coming up and thinking I'll just get another annual plan so I don't have to stress about it all! I'm churning credit cards and trying very hard not to close ones that I've paid various deposits on, so I'm bound to mess up.

 

[Pushka]

Good plan. Honestly I've got a bunch of trips coming up and thinking I'll just get another annual plan so I don't have to stress about it all! I'm churning credit cards and trying very hard not to close ones that I've paid various deposits on, so I'm bound to mess up.

I usually use Insure and Go due to medical coverage but currently they aren't doing annual policies.

Slightly OT. Anyway we were due to go to Bali next month and had taken out a once off policy to cover that, the week prior. Jetstar cancelled our return flight offering an execrable one which we declined and with the foot and mouth thing we decided to cancel. Because we were within the 14 day change of mind cancel thing, we cancelled the trip insurance by email. Insureandgo replied within the week and refund already done. Pretty impressed with that I've also used them for another Bali trip cancelled the day before the Aus borders closed as we were due to fly out on 28 March and they paid out quite promptly.

 

[Tiki]

Wow I just did a quote for our Nov cruise to PNG on Insure and Go. Basic was $112 but excluded Covid coverage. Silver includes Covid but was $443! But Princess is allowing cancellations if you get Covid and some kind of credit if you get it while onboard. The cruise sails from our home port of Brisbane so no chance we would miss the ship or anything like that.

 

[Port Power]

Wow I just did a quote for our Nov cruise to PNG on Insure and Go. Basic was $112 but excluded Covid coverage. Silver includes Covid but was $443! But Princess is allowing cancellations if you get Covid and some kind of credit if you get it while onboard. The cruise sails from our home port of Brisbane so no chance we would miss the ship or anything like that.

Do you really need Covid cover?

 

[RooFlyer]

Do you really need Covid cover?

I decided to. Starting my first 'real' cruise (ie more than around an island group) next weekend, Ponant's LeLaperouse Darwin to Broome (baby steps, experienced cruisers out there! ) in case I was denied boarding having caught the damn thing a week or two out (and it lingered) and then of course on board. I'd like more than a credit with the cruise line. Cost was trivial compared to cost of trip.

I left it a bit late. My long-time TA recommended Go Insurance, including because the coverage started a week after policy started.

PS, of the 10 nights, there are three 'formal-ish' dining nights - one 'white', two 'gala'. Groan - do people really haul their almost-finest aboard to go to those things? In this case, the tropics/sub-tropics? Or do you just make alternative arrangements for those nights? 1/3 of the evenings. Its French, so I'm told they enforce the dress code and I'd respect it anyway, but would rather not have the obligation.

 

[Port Power]

I decided to. Starting my first 'real' cruise (ie more than around an island group) next weekend, Ponant's LeLaperouse Darwin to Broome (baby steps, experienced cruisers out there! ) in case I was denied boarding having caught the damn thing a week or two out (and it lingered) and then of course on board. I'd like more than a credit with the cruise line. Cost was trivial compared to cost of trip.

I left it a bit late. My long-time TA recommended Go Insurance, including because the coverage started a week after policy started.

PS, of the 10 nights, there are three 'formal-ish' dining nights - one 'white', two 'gala'. Groan - do people really haul their almost-finest aboard to go to those things? In this case, the tropics/sub-tropics? Or do you just make alternative arrangements for those nights? 1/3 of the evenings. Its French, so I'm told they enforce the dress code and I'd respect it anyway, but would rather not have the obligation.

No other line, even Silversea, does formal nights on expedition cruises. So no, I have never lugged dressy clothes aboard. Men usually wore slacks/jeans/cargo pants with a polo top or collared shirt. Often even shorts and shirt for the north west. Check out the Ponant thread on Cruise Critic; there are sure to be answers to that question there.

P.S. Perhaps a letter from your GP confirming when your COVID commenced? On Caledonian Sky , one of the passengers was two weeks post and his RAT at embarkation was positive. He had already checked with head office, so insisted the team call them to discuss. He also has a letter from GP. He was allowed to board.

 

[sanne]

I decided to. Starting my first 'real' cruise (ie more than around an island group) next weekend, Ponant's LeLaperouse Darwin to Broome (baby steps, experienced cruisers out there! ) in case I was denied boarding having caught the damn thing a week or two out (and it lingered) and then of course on board. I'd like more than a credit with the cruise line. Cost was trivial compared to cost of trip.

I left it a bit late. My long-time TA recommended Go Insurance, including because the coverage started a week after policy started.

PS, of the 10 nights, there are three 'formal-ish' dining nights - one 'white', two 'gala'. Groan - do people really haul their almost-finest aboard to go to those things? In this case, the tropics/sub-tropics? Or do you just make alternative arrangements for those nights? 1/3 of the evenings. Its French, so I'm told they enforce the dress code and I'd respect it anyway, but would rather not have the obligation.

We did a Ponant cruise several years ago Darwin to Darwin to Indonesia. It was much dressier than any other expedition cruises we’ve done and included the white, gala etc formal nights etc . We did not take any very dressy clothes! Didn’t matter. Was not a problem. As I remember there were many like us ( not the French) who just dressed nicely every evening in resort wear.

 

[RooFlyer]

P.S. Perhaps a letter from your GP confirming when your COVID commenced? On Caledonian Sky , one of the passengers was two weeks post and his RAT at embarkation was positive. He had already checked with head office, so insisted the team call them to discuss. He also has a letter from GP. He was allowed to board.

Sorry, I meant in case I get a dose close to boarding. I'm currently in self-imposed lockdown-light!

As I remember there were many like us ( not the French) who just dressed nicely every evening in resort wear.

They do of course say no shorts or T shirts for evening restaurant, and that's fair enough. I'm hoping to go HLO on the flights up and back - so I'll be testing the tolerance of the airline!

 

[Tiki]

We will self-isolate before our cruise as well. The only thing I would worry about is getting it from someone else on the ship and being locked in our cabin and not getting to see the ports.

 

[Port Power]

Sorry, I meant in case I get a dose close to boarding. I'm currently in self-imposed lockdown-light!



They do of course say no shorts or T shirts for evening restaurant, and that's fair enough. I'm hoping to go HLO on the flights up and back - so I'll be testing the tolerance of the airline!

You’ll manage it. Roll on case plus backpack. Slacks and collared shirt will be fine for men, dress or pants and nice top for women. Especially if top can be hand washed and drip dried. You do get hot and sweaty out on expedition, so you may well wear two tops during the day as well as one at night.

 

[k_sheep]

Wow I just did a quote for our Nov cruise to PNG on Insure and Go. Basic was $112 but excluded Covid coverage. Silver includes Covid but was $443! But Princess is allowing cancellations if you get Covid and some kind of credit if you get it while onboard. The cruise sails from our home port of Brisbane so no chance we would miss the ship or anything like that.

My quote from them was similar ($167 for 2 for Antarctica) but since we already have $45pp covid coverage through Ponant, I reckon that might be enough.

Also there's a formal night on our trip I believe, but I will not be partaking - will not be taking fancy clothes on a 2 month trip for a single night. Not gonna happen! Happy to eat a protein bar in the cabin if they are that picky

 

[Quickstatus]

Not been on a cruise ever (unless the Spirit of Tasmania from Melbourne to Devonport counts as one)

Q:
Could someone describe the cabin ventilation system in cruise ships?

 

[tgh]

the cabin ventilation system in cruise ships

As I recall there are air con inlets mostly over the entry , and a permanently running vent fan in the bathroom.
Unless it is very cold , we keep the balcony door open day and night.

Expedition cruises are difficult if one likes clean clothes, leads to mostly synthetics and a cornucopia of stretch clothes lines , pegs and some bit of wire to fasten the clothes line as there is seldom anywhere easy.

 

[Quickstatus]

As I recall there are air con inlets

And the airflow after that? (lets say the cabin is an inside with no balcony)

 

[tgh]

And the airflow after that? (lets say the cabin is an inside with no balcony)

Other the the aforementioned process, I have no idea….
How was the ventilation managed in the last 10 hotel rooms you slept in ? ( excluding opening the window…)

 

[Quickstatus]

How was the ventilation managed in the last 10 hotel rooms you slept in

There is a return grille near the entrance. Shared ventilation??

Shared ventilation, amount of ventilation (volume/time), filtration with HEPA?
To what extent are cruise chips just like hotels and what is the role of building ventilation in the control of Covid?

 

[drron]

There is a return grille near the entrance. Shared ventilation??

Shared ventilation, amount of ventilation (volume/time), filtration with HEPA?
To what extent are cruise chips just like hotels and what is the role of building ventilation in the control of Covid?

I will ask when we board in 11 days time. There are no inside cabins on the ships we cruise and we do get free laundry.

 

[Quickstatus]

free laundry

How free - X number of pieces /day or laundry bag/day ??

 

[drron]

How free - X number of pieces /day or laundry bag/day ??

As much as we like.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

How free - X number of pieces /day or laundry bag/day ??

What ever you put in the laundry bag. Everything of Rons. But I hand wash my smalls ( bra/undies)