Cruising choices with an active Pandemic

[Pushka]

An extract from September’s Viking Newsletter:

“In other news, Viking was able to help those in need last month by donating over four-tonnes of quality Australian meat worth over $100,000 to worthy causes that are distributing meals to those in need across Sydney. Previously intended for consumption on board Viking Orion last season, which was cancelled due to Covid, the meat was shared among three partners doing fantastic community work: Sydney Street Kitchen; Australian Venue Co.'s Meals for Hospo Mates; and Lucas Restaurants' Feed the People Program. “

One of these cruises was ours.

 

[cove]

Just looked up The World ship.
It is in the Med near Italy.

 

[tgh]

We are a long way from cruising safely and stories like this are chilling

 

[woodyren]

Would be interesting to know the vaccination status of those infected. Also nothing I read indicated the MSC policy on guest vaccination.

 

[Pushka]

We are a long way from cruising safely and stories like this are chilling

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On the other hand ships like Viking have halved their numbers and people do daily saliva tests. Must be vaccinated.

 

[drron]

And Dom P wants domestic cruising to start.

NSW Premier backs cruise return as our readers overwhelmingly support an urgent restart

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has come out in support of restarting local cruising after an exclusive Cruise Passenger readers poll showed huge

cruisepassenger.com.au

But Tassie doesn't want anything to do with cruising.

Tasmania waves goodbye to small luxury cruises claiming passengers are "high risk"

APT's MS Caledonian Sky has been forced to cancel all sailings to Tasmania this year and in 2022 after the local health authorities enforced a new ruling

cruisepassenger.com.au

 

[drron]

RCL had a quarterly briefing last Friday.They announced a $US1.2 billion loss for their third quarter.
They have had an occupancy of 36% on the ships sailing.
There have been 130 covid cases in the over 500000 people who have cruised.An incidence of nearly 1 in 40000.
That compares favourably with NSW where 1 in 120 have had covid this year.

 

[k_sheep]

Scenic are apparently restarting Antarctica cruises January 2022; I'm rather unconvinced they can make this work. I have to admit I was tempted to jump on (first ships to Antarctica for 2 years? Amazing!) but can't get reasonable flights to EZE. I think it's too risky going through about 4+ different flights to get there, and for ~$4k in economy - yucko! Can't find J award seats to lessen the blow either.

 

[tgh]

A safer bet for a bit of fresh ice in your coughtail may be Ponant, who are "hoping" to sail south from New Zealand starting in January.
Ross sea is not such a commercial area and there will not be the groans and grumbles from the wildlife at the conga line of ships waiting for their time slot to visit the pristine untouched wilderness.

 

[drron]

Next week sees an important meeeting to help decide if cruising is coming back to Australia.

Key meeting with NSW Health Minister set for next week over resumption of cruising

Australia's cruise restart could take a major step forward next Wednesday when Health Minister Brad Hazzard sits down for crucial talks with cruise

cruisepassenger.com.au

Though not good news if you want to insure your cruise.

Cruise insurance and COVID - the crucial clause that's missing

Australians may be able to fly overseas and even cruise. And multi-national travel insurance brands do sell policies for multi-night cruises...but not

cruisepassenger.com.au

Tahiti set to ban mega cruise liners.

French Polynesia to ban mega ships from calling at their ports

A number of South Pacific island countries have begun to ban mega ships from entering their waters with Tahiti revealing new restrictions. More than a

cruisepassenger.com.au

 

[tgh]

Not surprising but very disappointing for many ; Silver Muse will also cancel their extensive coastal cruise season one assumes.

Holidays for thousands of Aussies destroyed

The continuing uncertainty around the cruise industry – and the government’s lack of action in the space – has triggered another massive cancellation.

www.news.com.au

P&O cancels 2022 holiday cruises from Adelaide, Cairns and Fremantle​

 

[Pushka]

Not surprising but very disappointing for many ; Silver Muse will also cancel their extensive coastal cruise season one assumes.

Holidays for thousands of Aussies destroyed

The continuing uncertainty around the cruise industry – and the government’s lack of action in the space – has triggered another massive cancellation.

www.news.com.au

P&O cancels 2022 holiday cruises from Adelaide, Cairns and Fremantle​

View attachment 264584

Why on earth would they take the risk. Sad times but sadly Ruby Princess killed off the Oz cruise industry for a long time. And 90% of the population would be happy about that.

 

[tgh]

It is an Ill wind indeed that blows nobody any good , Coral Expeditions all but sold out for 2022

 

[tgh]

Cruising is still a game of chance as vaccination does not warrant a negative test.
One assumes a few flights have been missed in the scenario below which is still playing out...

 

[drron]

And quite regularly voyages have had Covid outbreaks but not delaying subsequent cruises now.

Last Symphony of the Seas cruise had 48 COVID cases

Royal Caribbean International's Symphony of the Seas cruise that disembarked Saturday at PortMiami ended up with 48 COVID-19 cases.

www.seatrade-cruise.com

 

[Anna]

I found this article interesting, mainly because of the food choices of the people concerned. I'll be amazed if they are not obese

Cruising and COVID-19: How a COVID case sent one couple from an ocean view balcony to the 'dungeon'

Four nights into their Caribbean cruise, Brittany and Steven Loiler treated themselves to a decadent dinner. It was one of the last meals on their vacation that wasn't served by someone in a hazmat suit.

www.traveller.com.au

 

[woodyren]

I found this article interesting, mainly because of the food choices of the people concerned. I'll be amazed if they are not obese

Cruising and COVID-19: How a COVID case sent one couple from an ocean view balcony to the 'dungeon'

Four nights into their Caribbean cruise, Brittany and Steven Loiler treated themselves to a decadent dinner. It was one of the last meals on their vacation that wasn't served by someone in a hazmat suit.

www.traveller.com.au

Fair go. They had a diet Coke.

The biggest issue to me was that after almost two years of the message that even with the mildest symptoms people should isolate and get tested they continued on their merry way until they became sick enough to have concern for themselves.

And people wonder why government, companies and business need to make and enforce rules.

 

[k_sheep]

A safer bet for a bit of fresh ice in your coughtail may be Ponant, who are "hoping" to sail south from New Zealand starting in January.
Ross sea is not such a commercial area and there will not be the groans and grumbles from the wildlife at the conga line of ships waiting for their time slot to visit the pristine untouched wilderness.

I've pulled the plug on a Ponant trip now, but going from South America ... Nov 2022, same price for 3 as Scenic was for 1. It's shorter, but for the huge difference in price I can spend more elsewhere.

 

[drron]

The number of cruises with cases aboard is growing and consequences increasing. not unexpected with Omicron..

Holland America cruise skips Mexico stop after positive Covid tests

The health department of the Mexican state of Jalisco said the passengers’ potential exposure meant they would not be allowed to disembark.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[tgh]

Buying opportunity for Cruise stocks...