First time cruiser, long term covid shut-in ;)

[robtemt]

Good evening everyone. After a long break from AFF, I decided to start cruising (pun intended) the forums to reignite my hopes for travelling.

It has been just a couple of years shy of the date when we had to pack our bags midway through our Costa Rica holiday to return to Sydney before the borders closed. We had no idea how bad it would be.

My partner works (well, is still technically employed by) for Qantas as an international FA. To say its been a tough, emotional, confusing year is an understatement. We still have no idea when, if ever, he will return to his dream job.

But, getting to the point of the topic, we have a sudden burst of optimism. Foolish? Dreaming? Realistic?

We have booked a cruise!!!! 10 days in the Southern Caribbean, in March 2022, on the new Enchanted Princess (yet to see her maiden voyage). Mini-Suite. Going with 3 couples from the US.

Its our first cruise. Ever. But we figure, as vaccine programs role out globally, which will lead to border restrictions easing, there will be enough safety precautions in place by then to travel. Vaccine requirements, quarantine and testing requirements (?)... regardless, we are hoping by then, it will be the safest travel standards we have seen in a long time.

We have until 25 Dec 2021 to cancel for full refund, and after up to 48 hours prior to cancel for full credit. Hope to book reward flights (this might be a dream), so fiscal risk is low. Health risk, is to be determined.

Anyone else starting to think 2022 is the safe time to book?
Anyone else have thoughts on health standards by the time 2022 rolls around?
AND, all winds filling our sails as we hope, any thoughts on Princess Caribbean cruises?
Anyone been to Princess Cruise's private island?

 

[tgh]

Like many others, I would love to be booking cruises but the sober lowlander on my right shoulder says nay.
So much could happen ; cruise deposits are not money in the bank , quite the reverse in fact as cruise deposits are keeping functionally insolvent cruise companies afloat.
I wish you good luck and hope that you and tens of thousands of other optimists do not lose your money...

 

[robtemt]

Like many others, I would love to be booking cruises but the sober lowlander on my right shoulder says nay.
So much could happen ; cruise deposits are not money in the bank , quite the reverse in fact as cruise deposits are keeping functionally insolvent cruise companies afloat.
I wish you good luck and hope that you and tens of thousands of other optimists do not lose your money...

Thanks @tgh . We double checked, our deposit is FULLY refundable (refund, back to your card, not credit for future) until 25 Dec 2021. Our next/final payment is due then, and is fully cancelable until 48 hours before, for credit for 12 months...... So in that aspect, I am confident in the plan.

That allows me to monitor travel safety plans up til the end of December.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But, getting to the point of the topic, we have a sudden burst of optimism. Foolish? Dreaming? Realistic?

I think March 2022 is perfectly reasonable. And given the option of a full refund until Dec 2021, what's to lose? I think having something planned, something to look forward to, is hugely beneficial in these times.

The only potential issue will be the availability of travel insurance for covid, especially if an evacuation was required from say a ship. But if the vaccine works as expected - effective at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation - it may not be an issue.

 

[robtemt]

Hi @MEL_Traveller

Great to see your comments again! I've missed this site, but the lack of travel was just depressing, and I didn't even want to log in....

I thought so too, regarding refunds, etc. So if we are booking via points or credits on most flights, we will be able to cancel and extend the expiration.... Re insurance, yeah.. they all deny COVID related illnesses. We would NOT travel if not vaccinated, so the cancellation for that reason will (I hope) be eliminated. We will still insure to the hilt for anything else....

We've been reviewing all of our credits. $2K with Delta, 200K points with AA, 300K with KFF, and 200K worthless points with Velocity (leftover from transferring precious KFF points to VFF in oder to book and rebook flights from LAX to SYD before we were locked out).

We hope to do:
SYD - JFK/LGA or any east coast (on SQ)
Drive to FLL
FLL - LAX
LAX - HNL
HNL - SYD

 

[tgh]

There are extensive discussions about this issue elsewhere.. but.. to labour my point..
Your deposits and prospective refunds depend on cruise line solvency.
Imo, there is a real possibility that cruise lines (as a genre) will, at some point, dump all their liabilities and start off again refreshed with no debt.
There is no question that there is a truly massive world wide demand to cruise, there is also a truly massive debt overhang, please do some research…...
As a businessman, I opine that it's a no brainer to pick the right time , go for chapter whatever it is in US law and start again.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There are extensive discussions about this issue elsewhere.. but.. to labour my point..
Your deposits and prospective refunds depend on cruise line solvency.
Imo, there is a real possibility that cruise lines (as a genre) will, at some point, dump all their liabilities and start off again refreshed with no debt.
There is no question that there is a truly massive world wide demand to cruise, there is also a truly massive debt overhang, please do some research…...
As a businessman, I opine that it's a no brainer to pick the right time , go for chapter whatever it is in US law and start again.

Chapter 11 is the 'ok' one I think? That's a reorganisation and customers don't seem to lose their money in that case. Plenty of US airlines entered Chapter 11 over the years and they continued to fly, honour tickets, and honour FF commitments, etc.

The danger would be countries where they don't have something like chapter 11. Or chapter 7 in the US, which is a liquidation bankruptcy... but there you'd be left with no assets... so hard to start again 'debt free' if you had to buy new ships.