Cruising choices with an active Pandemic

[Anna]

Cruise confusion in Hobart today - allowed to disembark, not allowed to disembark, jumping ship to avoid being stuck onboard ...

Cruise passengers kept on board in Hobart due to Tasmanian coronavirus cases

Cruise ship passengers and staff are barred from disembarking in Hobart, after the captain decides the risk of people becoming infected with coronavirus and returning to the ship is too great, with five cases recorded in Tasmania so far.

www.abc.net.au

 

[zig]

Cruise confusion in Hobart today - allowed to disembark, not allowed to disembark, jumping ship to avoid being stuck onboard ...

Cruise passengers kept on board in Hobart due to Tasmanian coronavirus cases

Cruise ship passengers and staff are barred from disembarking in Hobart, after the captain decides the risk of people becoming infected with coronavirus and returning to the ship is too great, with five cases recorded in Tasmania so far.

www.abc.net.au

I was in Hobart last weekend. On Sunday there were 2 ships in - the Silver Muse and a Costa ship. I think the Mercury reported complaints that the Costa ship hadn't been subject to any screening before everyone was allowed ashore. I assume this was because there were a lot of Italians onboard.

 

[moa999]

NZ barring cruise ships until 30 June

 

[zig]

NZ barring cruise ships until 30 June

Yikes. Many people thought the old Syd - Auckland run would be safe.

 

[drron]

Have just learnt that the crews of RCI ships stuck in US ports for 30 days are not allowed to leave their ships.Family member stuck on board in New Orleans.
But they do get paid.

 

[I love to travel]

There still seems to be no word on what is happening with Alaska cruises that depart Vancouver up until June 30.

 

[Pushka]

There still seems to be no word on what is happening with Alaska cruises that depart Vancouver up until June 30.

In a word. Nothing. Unless they try out of Seattle (closed) or LA but which are totally different experiences and longer if trying to hit the spots. . Thank goodness we did Alaska in May last year - that was our Second go at it anyway.

I think US has this weird 'must hit a foreign port' thing so not sure if that impacts.

 

[tgh]

SILVER EXPLORER quarantined at Castro Chile after one positive
SILVER SHADOW quarantined at Brazil after two positive tests

All passengers confined to cabins atm

SILVER WHISPER world cruise expected to be cancelled , currently at sea enroute to Brisbane ... Sydney...

SILVER MUSE is in Picon NZ atm and will disembark passengers in Auckland on the 18th. Future cruises cancelled

SILVER SPIRIT is (atm…) en route for Darwin to disembark on the 18th with all future cruises cancelled

nb ….eoe….

 

[lovetravellingoz]

SILVER MUSE is in Picon NZ atm and will disembark passengers in Auckland on the 18th. Future cruises cancelled

.

On the 18th. So 14 day self isolation/ quarantine for them as well now..

That is if they are allowed to disembark as I thought that as of midnight that cruise ships were banned in NZ?

 

[tgh]

Ship has been in Au/ NZ waters for a while so no real reason to quarantine passengers

 

[SydneySwan]

Ship has been in Au/ NZ waters for a while so no real reason to quarantine passengers

Let us hope commonsense prevails but I wouldn't count on it.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

We have friends on the Silver Whisper ATM doing part of the World cruise. Got an email from them today. They are well. They are getting off in Sydney and flying home.
"We are racing around the edge of the Cyclone to Sydney before the port closes. We were headed to Brisbane but captain changed his mind.
Keeping our fingers crossed that someone does not show symptoms and we end up like the Shadow and perhaps the Explorer."

 

[JinbaIttai]

I think US has this weird 'must hit a foreign port' thing so not sure if that impacts.

The Passenger Vessel Services Act which is a law restricting Cabotage - and which ensures only US flagged ships with US crews can ferry passengers from one US port to another. That means passengers can't cruise from eg Seattle or LA to Anchorage without stopping in at least one foreign city.

Similar to rules in Australia (and most other countries) preventing foreign airlines flying passengers domestically, unless specifically excepted.

 

[tgh]

Welcome to the conversation Jinbalttai

 

[Pushka]

The Passenger Vessel Services Act which is a law restricting Cabotage - and which ensures only US flagged ships with US crews can ferry passengers from one US port to another. That means passengers can't cruise from eg Seattle or LA to Anchorage without stopping in at least one foreign city.

Similar to rules in Australia (and most other countries) preventing foreign airlines flying passengers domestically, unless specifically excepted.

That's it. Cruises go around Australia all the time without touching Bali say, or NZ so I guess here it doesn't apply to cruise ships.

 

[JinbaIttai]

Cruises go around Australia all the time without touching Bali say, or NZ.

I know, which is why I compared it with airlines .

We do have the Coastal Trading Act, which cruise ships were granted an exemption to in 1997
"As an incentive for cruise ships to visit Australia, recognising the economic benefits that flow from the sector to the economy"

But Canada shutting down its ports will shut down the Alaska cruising season for the time being - plus Seattle being one of the worst effected locations in the US means no cruise ships will embark or debark from there anyway.

Welcome to the conversation Jinbalttai

Thanks! I do have "skin in the game" as I'm booked on a cruise scheduled to depart Civitavecchia (Rome) in June, which I won't be sailing on.
But I suspect the ship won't even make it to the Med this year, so am waiting for the cruise company to cancel me rather than the other way round.
I have another month before my cancellation penalty goes from around $1000 to over $5000, and if they cancel me I'm likely to get a better deal.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks! I do have "skin in the game" as I'm booked on a cruise scheduled to depart Civitavecchia (Rome) in June, which I won't be sailing on.
But I suspect the ship won't even make it to the Med this year, so am waiting for the cruise company to cancel me rather than the other way round.
I have another month before my cancellation penalty goes from around $1000 to over $5000, and if they cancel me I'm likely to get a better deal.

Same. From Rome in July. The TA for our ship is 19 April. The only thing that might mess up our mutual thought is they may sail the ships to Europe with no passengers and will kick start as soon as things improve. And of course that individual cancellation may not happen for any such later cruise until after they've received final payment.

 

[JinbaIttai]

And of course that individual cancellation may not happen for any such later cruise until after they've received final payment.

That is the risk, which is why I'll be cancelling before my penalty rate goes up, if I haven't heard from them.

 

[tgh]

Cruise ship ban from midnight tonight
Whisper and Spirit may now be in strife unless they have "official dispensation"

The passengers on the shadow are locked in their cabins and they have turned off the aircon ( to minimise transmission they say )

 

[Pushka]

And Golden Princess off NZ has a couple of suspected cases. Results not through yet.