Will cruises get cancelled this year

punisher5112

skooterblue2 wrote: »

FYP ..... Its the CDC that wont allow the staff to rotate.

Well still they ain't paid enough anyway.

skooterblue2

punisher5112 wrote: »

Well still they ain't paid enough anyway.

That is true but they pay no tax and most (2nd and 3rd world employees) are paid well. Sometimes your early career (acupuncturist, massage therapist, chef, hotel manager, Nurse, DJ, Photographer) requires you to work in these positions to colour your CV. Others they are getting paid way more than at home.

I think if it is something you want to do then do it. Relative to your country it can be a very lucrative career. On top of our prepaid gratuity I also tipped the room attendant, coffee girl, wedding officier, photographer and DJ/Technical officer.

Would I do it? No I am not at that stage in life anymore but I would do it for a year if I could regardless of the pay.

owlbethere

I read a piece online from a different cruise operator - carnival cruises. It looks as if they are aiming for July to get back sailing and operating cruises. They will be implementing measures and social distancing and the requirement to wear masks. More than likely other operators will probably follow.
It looks like maybe the cruises won't be cancelled.

The virus is suppressed now but it's still out there. I don't feel comfortable with continuing on with the holiday plans. Maybe if I lived in the same country as the port of departure it might not be too bad. Driving to the port and parking up won't be so bad. But I'm leaving from Ireland. It means travelling from my home by bus to the airport. Doing all that airport rigmarole, then transfers from the arrival airport to the docklands and then onto the ship. There's far too much travelling and risk right there.

Also I think staff conditions on the ships can be poor. I don't feel comfortable with cramped living conditions for the staff. I mean like, surely the virus will just spread around the staff quarters.

Then there is the arrival back home to Ireland. I really don't want to pick up the infection out abroad and bring it home. I live with my mother.

It probably means losing the deposit. I don't care about my deposit but my partner might not be too happy about that.

skooterblue2

owlbethere wrote: »

I read a piece online from a different cruise operator - carnival cruises. It looks as if they are aiming for July to get back sailing and operating cruises.
It looks like maybe the cruises won't be cancelled.

The virus is suppressed now but it's still out there. I don't feel comfortable with continuing on with the holiday plans. Maybe if I lived in the same country as the port of departure it might not be too bad. Driving to the port and parking up won't be so bad. But I'm leaving from Ireland. It means travelling from my home by bus to the airport. Doing all that airport rigmarole, then transfers from the arrival airport to the docklands and then onto the ship. There's far too much travelling and risk right there.

Also I think staff conditions on the ships can be poor.

Then there is the arrival back home to Ireland. I really don't want to pick up the infection out abroad and bring it home. I live with my mother.

It probably means losing the deposit. I don't care about my deposit but my partner might not be too happy about that.

There is going to be no big return to cruising this year. The cruise companies are trying to hold on to your deposit, not illegally but more by incentive. Most cruises wont be happening this year. Next year will be tough too.

Sit tight and wait for the cruise company to cancel and rebook. Staff are well paid relatively to the country they work in. They get rotated every 4-6 months on contract. Its great for a single person wanting to see the world. Its not for me at this stage but I would have done it when I was younger given the chance. Most are 2nd and 3rd world employees and are making relative fortunes.

As for staff conditions, we live in this air fairly land where everything has to well and balance. Life isnt like that, no pain no gain. I cant understand why my wife slaves for a bit better than minimum wage in a shop with no prospect to rise. She cant understand why I do education with no immediate payment. These people from third world are raking it in and when their tours are up will go home and set up businesses.

Hold your powder and wait. It will all pan out. You will have your cake and eat it. The cruise will be cancelled, you will get offered 125% credit and you rebook for 2022.

skooterblue2

titan18 wrote: »

That part isn't necessarily true. I'm seeing a lot of places making noises about banning cruise ships as the people onboard often spend very little and make it worse for other tourists staying in the city due to overtourism.

Do you think $40,000 is a relatively large amount of money to dock for 12 hours? Consider how much loca produce is bought and transferred aboard every day and rubbish taken off? I am not saying the small traders on shore make a fortune but the the large local contractors do. That is where the money is. The whole caribbean is built on tourism and banking. Most cities in the Caribbean have at least one ship in a day.

How do you propose to fill 600 meters of port space with another ship at 40k per day? because they manufacture very little in these poorer parts of the world.

skooterblue2

Lex Luthor wrote: »

its for this reason why I think the cruise line industry is doomed
No company can afford to be without revenue for 18 months and survive

Allow me to trash that post for you. Goldman Sachs have stepped in, there have been bonds issued at 12%. Extra shares have been allocated. they have raised 4Bn liquidity. I am not saying they go cheap credit. RCL is up 40% since the bottom.
I know why Goldman Sach invest and it wasnt out of pure benevolence. They wanted the private offshore islands to maintain their servers. This virus will be over and the world will return to cruising. Its going to be a very tough time for everyone and especially the tourism industry, but they will get through it.

sternn

I had flights and cruise booked for 4 people that I was meant to be on this week. I paid €1,000 deposit and the balance of around €5,000 was due 10 weeks ago. Not wanting to lose my deposit and presuming the cruise was going to be cancelled, I paid the full amount.

Low and behold the cruise was cancelled 3 weeks later. But now I'm struggling to get the money back from the travel agent. The cruise is with MSC and I can see they may take up to 120 days to issue the refund. I don't want to go down the chargeback route as the travel agent will have to pay. I didn't want to take the credit option as I don't particularly want to go on a cruise when the virus is still around, and that will be the case next year.

skooterblue2

sternn wrote: »

I had flights and cruise booked for 4 people that I was meant to be on this week. I paid €1,000 deposit and the balance of around €5,000 was due 10 weeks ago. Not wanting to lose my deposit and presuming the cruise was going to be cancelled, I paid the full amount.

Low and behold the cruise was cancelled 3 weeks later. But now I'm struggling to get the money back from the travel agent. The cruise is with MSC and I can see they may take up to 120 days to issue the refund. I don't want to go down the chargeback route as the travel agent will have to pay. I didn't want to take the credit option as I don't particularly want to go on a cruise when the virus is still around, and that will be the case next year.

Everyone is struggling to get their money back. Be patient or wait for the Virus to end and rebook. Simples. You arent going abroad on any other holiday either. You cant have it every way, other people have it far worse than you.

titan18

skooterblue2 wrote: »

Do you think $40,000 is a relatively large amount of money to dock for 12 hours? Consider how much loca produce is bought and transferred aboard every day and rubbish taken off? I am not saying the small traders on shore make a fortune but the the large local contractors do. That is where the money is. The whole caribbean is built on tourism and banking. Most cities in the Caribbean have at least one ship in a day.

How do you propose to fill 600 meters of port space with another ship at 40k per day? because they manufacture very little in these poorer parts of the world.

I'm not certain on the Caribbean tbh. I was more in about the places that struggle with over tourism that also happen to attract cruises. Likes of Barcelona, Venice, Dubrovnik etc have all made noises about reducing or banning cruises.

Theres been a move towards sustainable travel and it does bring a different group to a place that will stay longer.

Just been things I've seen online on travel sites.

skooterblue2

titan18 wrote: »

I'm not certain on the Caribbean tbh. I was more in about the places that struggle with over tourism that also happen to attract cruises. Likes of Barcelona, Venice, Dubrovnik etc have all made noises about reducing or banning cruises.

Theres been a move towards sustainable travel and it does bring a different group to a place that will stay longer.

Just been things I've seen online on travel sites.

So you are going to replace 1 cruise liner by charging 200 fishing vessels 40,000 a day. What about chandalary? what about all that locally sourced food that a ship consumes? A ship has around 5,500 staff and passengers. That is like half the Irish defense forces everyday.

Italy and Spain arent great examples of common sense when their economies will collapse later this year. They will be grateful for even fish vessels by the end of next year. Venice do want the cruise ships. What they dont want is the ships coming into port and want to use tenders (ferry passengers) instead.

The Caribbean is almost completely dependent on offshore banking and tourism. You cannot enforce unprofitable thought on what the local government know that make money. These places are far from perfect but thinking these economies can just set up a Dell factory and start making computers for central america is just naive.

titan18

skooterblue2 wrote: »

So you are going to replace 1 cruise liner by charging 200 fishing vessels 40,000 a day. What about chandalary? what about all that locally sourced food that a ship consumes? A ship has around 5,500 staff and passengers. That is like half the Irish defense forces everyday.

Italy and Spain arent great examples of common sense when their economies will collapse later this year. They will be grateful for even fish vessels by the end of next year. Venice do want the cruise ships. What they dont want is the ships coming into port and want to use tenders (ferry passengers) instead.

The Caribbean is almost completely dependent on offshore banking and tourism. You cannot enforce unprofitable thought on what the local government know that make money. These places are far from perfect but thinking these economies can just set up a Dell factory and start making computers for central america is just naive.

Like I said, I don't know about the Caribbean, just what I've read/seen in popular cruise locations in Europe. Those places tend to get a lot of tourism anyway, and can be overtouristed as is. Cruises bring a lot less to the place then someone staying for 4-5 days so as there's a pushback on overtourism and a trend for sustainable travel, cruises will one of the first to be dropped as we've seen already.

Course, with this coronavirus stuff, might end up with much less tourists anyway for a few years so maybe the overtourism will stop anyway.

skooterblue2

titan18 wrote: »

Like I said, I don't know about the Caribbean, just what I've read/seen in popular cruise locations in Europe. .

Have you considered other places that have large parts of their economies dependant on Cruises? Alaskan season has been absolutely devastated. Arctic and Antarctic wonderful educational cruises. South east asia and Australasia for diving. Trans-Atlantic for luxury and fashion.

You will find these people making these comments have nothing to do with the industry. They are the same people reading "no logo", been to college and got a degree with no experience of life.

NickNickleby

Well, in my own case, we've paid 2k+ of a deposit for two couples and there's another 4k+ due THIS WEEK. While I'm pretty sure that not paying the balance will cost us the deposit, the boss is certain we can save the deposit without paying the balance, so she is going to ring the Travel Agent to secure this deal. If this works then that's that.

Anyway, our travel date is 31 August fly into Barcelona, then Med cruise Spain/France/Italy back to Barcelona.

I'm thinking that I might risk it if travel bans are lifted in time AND if stats look favourable for target countries. Just follow the sensible precautions about hand hygiene etc, masks for particular locations.

However, that's only one vote out of four... lets see:)

skooterblue2

Mrs Skooterblue is talking about booking for August 2022. Booking with Royal Caribbean for a week before University starts.
Looking like Bahamas with a one or two day stop for Coco Cay..... Going to be Amazing.
We feel safe booking it because Goldman-Sacks is the big investor and they are financining it as part of a $4Billion fund to keep the company running.

Lex Luthor

skooterblue2 wrote: »

Mrs Skooterblue is talking about booking for August 2022. Booking with Royal Caribbean for a week before University starts.
Looking like Bahamas with a one or two day stop for Coco Cay..... Going to be Amazing.
We feel safe booking it because Goldman-Sacks is the big investor and they are financining it as part of a $4Billion fund to keep the company running.

Is that not roughly coming into hurricane season ?

HeidiHeidi

Smack bang in the middle of I'd have thought.....

skooterblue2

Lex Luthor wrote: »

Is that not roughly coming into hurricane season ?

Well we were luckly last year ......

JimmyVik

Ive been to Florida and the Caribbean many times during hurricane season.
Only once was there a hurricane and the ship went off somewhere else to different ports instead and came back behind the hurricane for the rest of the trip.
There wasnt even a ripple in the sea or a cloud in the sky where we were.
I wouldnt give hurricane season a second thought.

Lex Luthor

I've been once, although weather wasnt 100 mph winds, it wasnt what we were hoping for and would put me off travelling to that area that time of year again

If I was to go again, I'd opt for April/May

Best of luck with the cruise

skooterblue2

Lex Luthor wrote: »

I've been once, although weather wasnt 100 mph winds, it wasnt what we were hoping for and would put me off travelling to that area that time of year again

If I was to go again, I'd opt for April/May

Best of luck with the cruise

You miss one Island you get another. Although they are all different, they are all excellent. Weather forecasting has come along way. They can work around storms.

Nigel Fairservice

I paid a deposit for a MSC cruise in the Caribbean leaving in October back in January. The balance is due in July. Luckily I didn't book any flights or any extras before Covid hit. I wish I could push it the whole thing out by a year. I'll wait and see what options are given to me by Tour America.

skooterblue2

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

I paid a deposit for a MSC cruise in the Caribbean leaving in October back in January. The balance is due in July. Luckily I didn't book any flights or any extras before Covid hit. I wish I could push it the whole thing out by a year. I'll wait and see what options are given to me by Tour America.

The first policy will be to offer you 125% on future cruise credit when the second wave hits. Stand fast let them make the first move.

NickNickleby

Got a call the other day fro Travel agent, Royal Caribbean have cancelled my cruise. Disappointed, but at least im getting my deposit of 2200 back. Don't know how all that'll work, as the return flights for 4 are booked and presumably paid for out of the deposit, but sure that's the travel agent's job. I wouldn't begrudge them a nominal cancellation fee. I'll let you all know. Apparently, the process will take 45 days. Ah well, I wasn't going anywhere with it anyway.

skooterblue2

Changing times ahead for the industry. Carnival announced last week they were scrapping three of their older vessels. These vessels were probably due to be scrapped but cost over benefit, it would be cheaper to scrap now rather than have them idle for the next two years, another year of service and possibly no resale. Industry is cruel.

Lex Luthor

Lex Luthor wrote: »

sold for scrap metal

skooterblue2

Lex Luthor wrote: »

End of life..... nearly 30 years at sea. Refurbed 4 or 5 times. They had a good life. Its only 3 out of 400 world wide. You wouldnt get that life out of a fishing trawler.

Lex Luthor

if there was a stock to short right now it would be Royal Carribbean $RCL

skooterblue2

Lex Luthor wrote: »

if there was a stock to short right now it would be Royal Carribbean $RCL

I am not saying you are wrong but to short a stock you need LOADS of money if it goes wrong 75% of shorts are abandoned. Shorts arent everything they are made out to be. When you get shorts wrong they go very very wrong.

faceman

Spain have suspended cruise ships from docking at Spanish ports indefinitely

skooterblue2

faceman wrote: »

Spain have suspended cruise ships from docking at Spanish ports indefinitely

Same with New Zealand. Loads of them are hanging around the Phillipines loading and unloading crew and doing maintenance.