Will cruises get cancelled this year

owlbethere · 26-04-2020 4:32pm #1

Booked a cruise holiday after the Christmas and paid a deposit. It's a Mediterranean cruise late in the autumn and the remainder of the holiday has to be paid before August. Booked through a travel agency with flights and transfers included.

What are my chances the cruises won't operate this year and the whole lot gets cancelled?

I don't want to go on holidays any more and I want to stay at home. I'm following the guidelines and doing my bit not to pick up the virus so the idea of getting on a plane followed by a ship now fills be with dread and it doesn't make sense to me in case I get sick out abroad.

I won't be cancelling, just yet. I will wait til closer to the payment date and hope the cruise gets cancelled and we get refunded the deposit. I'm really banking on the cruise company cancelling.

Rodin · 26-04-2020 4:32pm

owlbethere wrote: »

Booked a cruise holiday after the Christmas and paid a deposit. It's a Mediterranean cruise late in the autumn and the remainder of the holiday has to be paid before August. Booked through a travel agency with flights and transfers included.

What are my chances the cruises won't operate this year and the whole lot gets cancelled?

I don't want to go on holidays any more and I want to stay at home. I'm following the guidelines and doing my bit not to pick up the virus so the idea of getting on a plane followed by a ship now fills be with dread and it doesn't make sense to me in case I get sick out abroad.

I won't be cancelling, just yet. I will wait til closer to the payment date and hope the cruise gets cancelled and we get refunded the deposit. I'm really banking on the cruise company cancelling.

Yes.

johnire · 26-04-2020 9:31pm

We had a Caribbean cruise booked for 2 weeks for next April and have just cancelled it today.
There’s no way I’d put myself in that environment until I have the vaccine. So until that happens no cruises for us.

Lex Luthor · 27-04-2020 10:32pm

anybody who is ever considering going on a cruise again in my opinion needs their head examined

cruise ships will be sold for scrap metal in a few years time, that industry is finished

NickNickleby · 27-04-2020 10:38pm

johnire wrote: »

We had a Caribbean cruise booked for 2 weeks for next April and have just cancelled it today.
There’s no way I’d put myself in that environment until I have the vaccine. So until that happens no cruises for us.

Interesting. I've paid a significant deposit on a fly/cruise package for late August out of Spain. The balance is due in June. My understanding is that I cannot recover the deposit, as the cruise company have not cancelled. Did you get your deposit back?

whippet · 28-04-2020 4:30pm

i'm not sure that the cruise industry will disappear but it won't be near as popular as it is now.

I went on my first and last cruise a few years back and there was nothing redeeming about it - what is sold as luxury is far from it. Cramped accommodation with little or no facilities (unless you upgrade to mega expensive suites) ... and then everything is a race for service. Lunch and dinners are like a cattle mart etc. Shore trips are pointless as it's all rushed, over priced and you can't get a decent experience of anywhere.

Hand sanitiser everywhere to remind you that you are at close quarters to thousands of people all day long.

It really is the worst of all aspects of package holidays rolled in to one uncomfortable trip.

But - as with everything there is a market for it and people who enjoy the continuous food, booze and sitting around.

bilbot79 · 28-04-2020 4:36pm

Lex Luthor wrote: »

anybody who is ever considering going on a cruise again in my opinion needs their head examined

cruise ships will be sold for scrap metal in a few years time, that industry is finished

Absolute horsepoo. People love cruising and once there's no covid off they'll go. Me included

harr · 28-04-2020 4:43pm

Not cruise related but we had to cancel holiday today we had booked for early July . Remainder of balance was due today and travel company still saying holiday going ahead. Offered us a voucher if we paid in full or to rebook next year.
Wasn’t really comfortable handing over nearly €2000 for a voucher. No real guarantee the company will be even trading next year . So balance of €800 gone . A lot of money for us.

owlbethere · 28-04-2020 5:43pm

harr wrote: »

Not cruise related but we had to cancel holiday today we had booked for early July . Remainder of balance was due today and travel company still saying holiday going ahead. Offered us a voucher if we paid in full or to rebook next year.
Wasn’t really comfortable handing over nearly €2000 for a voucher. No real guarantee the company will be even trading next year . So balance of €800 gone . A lot of money for us.

I'm so sorry to read about this. Its so sh1te for you. Its not fair from the travel company. Its poor form. You'd be mad to continue with holiday plans. Youre only just inviting disease to come your way. There would be potential to be sick out abroad or potential to be sent home in a coffin.

For what it's worth, I think you made the best decision to cancel. A deferral doesn't make sense. We're entering into a period of great uncertainty. If you pull through the virus, we might be in a position where we won't be able to afford to travel into town never mind about getting on a jetplane.

owlbethere · 28-04-2020 5:50pm

NickNickleby wrote: »

Interesting. I've paid a significant deposit on a fly/cruise package for late August out of Spain. The balance is due in June. My understanding is that I cannot recover the deposit, as the cruise company have not cancelled. Did you get your deposit back?

This is my position too. Hold off from cancelling until payment date in the hope they cancel and hopefully you will get your deposit back.

I'm in the same position as you. I'm not going on holidays. Not now and I don't want a deferral or a voucher.

johnire · 28-04-2020 6:32pm

We just had a deposit paid on the cruise itself. It was 500 each and we lost just 35 each. The balance is be refunded so we’re more than happy with that. It was Royal Caribbean that we were due to go with.

NickNickleby wrote: »

Interesting. I've paid a significant deposit on a fly/cruise package for late August out of Spain. The balance is due in June. My understanding is that I cannot recover the deposit, as the cruise company have not cancelled. Did you get your deposit back?

Lex Luthor · 28-04-2020 7:44pm

harr wrote: »

Not cruise related but we had to cancel holiday today we had booked for early July . Remainder of balance was due today and travel company still saying holiday going ahead. Offered us a voucher if we paid in full or to rebook next year.
Wasn’t really comfortable handing over nearly €2000 for a voucher. No real guarantee the company will be even trading next year . So balance of €800 gone . A lot of money for us.

sorry to hear this, the ideal scenario is that people pay up and honour the contract and then when the company cancel you get your refund

however I fully get why people are reluctant to pay out balances, especially when its a lot of money

I'm down €250 for the same reason as accomodation was looking for balance of €2000 but decided to just suck it up

have another €1300 tied up in flights that I am hoping I'll get back but flight has yet to be cancelled

Lex Luthor · 28-04-2020 7:47pm

bilbot79 wrote: »

Absolute horsepoo. People love cruising and once there's no covid off they'll go. Me included

I hope you're wrong but this is one industry that is not going to recover from this

it was bad enough getting impacted by the virus, but there were people held up on cruise ships for weeks, nobody in their right mind would take that risk again

I was planning on going on one for a landmark bday coming up in the next couple yrs but no way would I go on one now

Sam Hain · 28-04-2020 7:54pm

bilbot79 wrote: »

Absolute horsepoo. People love cruising and once there's no covid off they'll go. Me included

Cruises are for chumps.

spurious · 29-04-2020 11:50am

Sam Hain wrote: »

Cruises are for chumps.

Have you been on one?

I had lots of preconceived notions before I went on one. No problem saying I was wrong about most of them.

I would do another one once there is a vaccine for Covid, no problem.

Mitch Connor · 29-04-2020 11:54am

I'd love to go on another cruise (did one for my honeymoon and loved it).

This crisis has made them affordable, just utterly unappealing right now!

Owner Suite on a 7 day Caribbean cruise with RC for 4k.... about half or a third the price i was seeing previously.

hots · 29-04-2020 11:58am

We had one for the last week of July and no rescheduling for last week of Jan next year, I'd say they'll be running by then but lower numbers on them and a bit of a dodgy air about the place as it'll be in the back of peoples minds.

Lex Luthor · 29-04-2020 12:13pm

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Owner Suite on a 7 day Caribbean cruise with RC for 4k.... about half or a third the price i was seeing previously.

there's a reason

Mitch Connor · 29-04-2020 12:21pm

Lex Luthor wrote: »

there's a reason

Yes, as I said in the second line of the post you quoted, and deleted from your reply. The crisis. I got that.

cee_jay · 29-04-2020 12:22pm

I have one booked for end November - sailing out of Hong Kong to Japan. We have the deposit paid only, with refundable accommodation in Hong Kong for a week before. No flights booked yet because just waiting for the cruise to be cancelled - Hong Kong have their cruise terminal shut since February, and the ship we were to sail on was moved to Australia temporarily until all cruising stopped. The flights to Hong Kong have actually increased in price since this started.

skooterblue2 · 29-04-2020 12:26pm

johnire wrote: »

There’s no way I’d put myself in that environment until I have the vaccine. So until that happens no cruises for us.

There will be no vaccine within 4 years. The virus changes so rapidly. Also all the cruise lines are going to need refinancing from banks and investors. There is also going to be a depression afterwards.

I wouldnt start booking for anything within 18 months.

Lex Luthor · 29-04-2020 12:30pm

skooterblue2 wrote: »

There will be no vaccine within 4 years. The virus changes so rapidly. Also all the cruise lines are going to need refinancing from banks and investors. There is also going to be a depression afterwards.

I wouldnt start booking for anything within 18 months.

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

skooterblue2 · 29-04-2020 12:31pm

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I'd love to go on another cruise (did one for my honeymoon and loved it).

This crisis has made them affordable, just utterly unappealing right now!

Owner Suite on a 7 day Caribbean cruise with RC for 4k.... about half or a third the price i was seeing previously.

Same here. Food served from 7am to 11pm in the buffet, out of this world restaurants, pools side drinks, great people, great staff, new port every morning, great shopping, great destinations.

This crap is all over, I will be back and "loyal to Royal" and booking for 2022.

nailer54321 · 29-04-2020 12:42pm

Anyone who considers booking a holiday now should get there heads examined. Wait until there is a vaccine then you can go on your holidays. Are people living in there own little worlds, just look at how the airlines are treating there customers, they are only interested in getting you to accept a voucher and make it extreamly hard for you to get a full refund even though you are entitled to one. in my opion, wait until a vaccine then watch how hard the airlines and travel industry will look to get you business back. Safe Travel everyone.

skooterblue2 · 29-04-2020 12:48pm

nailer54321 wrote: »

Anyone who considers booking a holiday now should get there heads examined. Wait until there is a vaccine then you can go on your holidays. Are people living in there own little worlds, just look at how the airlines are treating there customers, they are only interested in getting you to accept a voucher and make it extreamly hard for you to get a full refund even though you are entitled to one. in my opion, wait until a vaccine then watch how hard the airlines and travel industry will look to get you business back. Safe Travel everyone.

Not strictly true. booking two years in advance is common in the cruising world. Cruises are refunding within 90 days. They are giving up to 200% cruise credit to rebook, they are playing the long game for customer loyalty.

loyatemu · 29-04-2020 12:55pm

I'd like to the think the floating-city, "today it's Venice" mega-cruise industry is finished, it's a massively polluting and decadent model that represents the absolute worst of mass tourism. The big cruise companies are in financial trouble and there may not be much appetite to bail them out given their shady business practises. Smaller cruises may have a future.

ELM327 · 29-04-2020 1:02pm

skooterblue2 wrote: »

Same here. Food served from 7am to 11pm in the buffet, out of this world restaurants, pools side drinks, great people, great staff, new port every morning, great shopping, great destinations.

This crap is all over, I will be back and "loyal to Royal" and booking for 2022.

+1 on everything except I'm a NCL exclusive!

Will never take a non cruise foreign holdicay again!

skooterblue2 · 29-04-2020 1:13pm

loyatemu wrote: »

I'd like to the think the floating-city, "today it's Venice" mega-cruise industry is finished, it's a massively polluting and decadent model that represents the absolute worst of mass tourism. The big cruise companies are in financial trouble and there may not be much appetite to bail them out given their shady business practises. Smaller cruises may have a future.

The industry is already changing to more medium sized cruises which will make it more expensive to cruises. It is no more polluting than a ski holiday or beach resort. Yes many companies are not going to make it through this depression but if you strangle any companies cashflow and ships need Massive maintenance just to stay afloat, a boat is living thing, stop maintaining it and falls apart very quickly.

What corporation do you know that does everything squeaky clean without a bit bit of blood, child labour, pollution or tax evasion? That is business you may not like it but that is how business is done.

curly from cork · 29-04-2020 1:31pm

Honeymoon booked with Trailfinders last December. Due to go to USA and Mexico the end of July. We have paid a deposit of €1800. The balance is due mid May. I spoke to Trailfinders yesterday and our options are far from what we had hoped for.
Option 1. Pay the remaining amount ( €5000) on the due date. If close the time the company cancel the holidays we will get a full refund, if the holiday is not cancelled we will have to travel. For obvious reasons apart from an underlying health condition we do not want to travel this year.
Option 2. Amend the booking and move to a date next year, if we do this there is a penalty of €1000. The €800 left after this amendment will go towards the new booking, prices are not guaranteed at the 2020 price
TBH we thought that a big company like Trailfinders would be offering to move our honeymoon to next year with no penalty. We were very shocked at the €1000 charge. Can anyone offer any advice or had anyone dealt with an issue similar to this. Thank you

hots · 29-04-2020 1:34pm

curly from cork wrote: »

Honeymoon booked with Trailfinders last December. Due to go to USA and Mexico the end of July. We have paid a deposit of €1800. The balance is due mid May. I spoke to Trailfinders yesterday and our options are far from what we had hoped for.
Option 1. Pay the remaining amount ( €5000) on the due date. If close the time the company cancel the holidays we will get a full refund, if the holiday is not cancelled we will have to travel. For obvious reasons apart from an underlying health condition we do not want to travel this year.
Option 2. Amend the booking and move to a date next year, if we do this there is a penalty of €1000. The €800 left after this amendment will go towards the new booking, prices are not guaranteed at the 2020 price
TBH we thought that a big company like Trailfinders would be offering to move our honeymoon to next year with no penalty. We were very shocked at the €1000 charge. Can anyone offer any advice or had anyone dealt with an issue similar to this. Thank you

That's ****ty enough but doesn't surprise me. For us (July too), our cruise is cancelled and fully refunded, flights will all be cancelled and airline credit given and then all but one hotel (5 booked) and refundable or rebookable. I'll be down 200 quid or so, plus the cost of potentially not being able to use some of the flight credit, plus any price increases.

Kerry25x · 30-04-2020 12:53am

Lex Luthor wrote: »

anybody who is ever considering going on a cruise again in my opinion needs their head examined

cruise ships will be sold for scrap metal in a few years time, that industry is finished

Bookings are on the rise for 2021 apparently.

Its not my preferred holiday but I wouldn't be deterred from cruising again in the future.

krissovo · 30-04-2020 1:13am

loyatemu wrote: »

I'd like to the think the floating-city, "today it's Venice" mega-cruise industry is finished, it's a massively polluting and decadent model that represents the absolute worst of mass tourism. The big cruise companies are in financial trouble and there may not be much appetite to bail them out given their shady business practises. Smaller cruises may have a future.

Share prices are doing well the last few days for Norwegian & Royal after massive drops. They are looking likely to ride out the storm with their future bookings alone. The odds of making a few bob, possibly threefold in 2 years are quite good if you fancied investing.

30-04-2020 1:16am

Never done a cruise myself. Are they any good?

whomitconcerns · 30-04-2020 7:30am

curly from cork wrote: »

Honeymoon booked with Trailfinders last December. Due to go to USA and Mexico the end of July. We have paid a deposit of €1800. The balance is due mid May. I spoke to Trailfinders yesterday and our options are far from what we had hoped for.
Option 1. Pay the remaining amount ( €5000) on the due date. If close the time the company cancel the holidays we will get a full refund, if the holiday is not cancelled we will have to travel. For obvious reasons apart from an underlying health condition we do not want to travel this year.
Option 2. Amend the booking and move to a date next year, if we do this there is a penalty of €1000. The €800 left after this amendment will go towards the new booking, prices are not guaranteed at the 2020 price
TBH we thought that a big company like Trailfinders would be offering to move our honeymoon to next year with no penalty. We were very shocked at the €1000 charge. Can anyone offer any advice or had anyone dealt with an issue similar to this. Thank you

Makes sense from your point of view alright. But Tf also have made the bookings on your behalf and if they are not cancellable for 100% right now, how can they refund you 100%?

As they say it may be all cancelled and at that point they can issue a full refund, but until then they are obligated to pay 100%, same as you are. And I get the whole they are a big company thing, but there are a lot of people in the same boat. So unless the whole chain cancels 100% from the top, someone has to suck it up...

Not ideal but it’s reality unfortunately

JimmyVik · 30-04-2020 7:44am

There will be no cruises this year.
But the cruise lines are not cancelling til they have to.
They are waiting to cancel after inside final payment date.

They want people to rebook rather than refund the money.

We have one booked for September and have only the first payment made. We dont want to go on a cruise this year or next year.
We are allowed to rebook cruises until end 2021 and I suppose we will have to pick a date before that or lose our deposit which is a lot.
Final payment is 90 days before departure. I wont be making the final payment. So my only option is to cancel and use the deposit for another cruise.

JimmyVik · 30-04-2020 7:46am

curly from cork wrote: »

Honeymoon booked with Trailfinders last December. Due to go to USA and Mexico the end of July. We have paid a deposit of €1800. The balance is due mid May. I spoke to Trailfinders yesterday and our options are far from what we had hoped for.
Option 1. Pay the remaining amount ( €5000) on the due date. If close the time the company cancel the holidays we will get a full refund, if the holiday is not cancelled we will have to travel. For obvious reasons apart from an underlying health condition we do not want to travel this year.
Option 2. Amend the booking and move to a date next year, if we do this there is a penalty of €1000. The €800 left after this amendment will go towards the new booking, prices are not guaranteed at the 2020 price
TBH we thought that a big company like Trailfinders would be offering to move our honeymoon to next year with no penalty. We were very shocked at the €1000 charge. Can anyone offer any advice or had anyone dealt with an issue similar to this. Thank you

Who is the cruise with. I know the cruise lines are allowing you to cancel and giving credit til end of 2021 for the full amount you've paid.

I think its trailfinders who are keeping that money. Call the cruise line and tell them whats happening and that trailfinders are blaming them.

One thing thats changed for me. I will never ever be booking anything thats not 100% refundable again. If a travel agent doesnt like that then i'll find a different one.

30-04-2020 7:50am

loyatemu wrote: »

I'd like to the think the floating-city, "today it's Venice" mega-cruise industry is finished, it's a massively polluting and decadent model that represents the absolute worst of mass tourism.

Here’s hoping - a disgusting, bloated industry built on sickening over consumption and superficial tourism

Lex Luthor · 30-04-2020 8:05am

Kerry25x wrote: »

Bookings are on the rise for 2021 apparently.

Its not my preferred holiday but I wouldn't be deterred from cruising again in the future.

any likelihood these bookings are just people rebooking with vouchers offered to them this year?

harr · 30-04-2020 8:17am

Lex Luthor wrote: »

any likelihood these bookings are just people rebooking with vouchers offered to them this year?

Yes , I was speaking to our Tavel agent and was told most of the so-called new bookings are just people rescheduling holidays for next year.
When we were given the option of paying in full and then getting a voucher or rebooking same holiday next year the agent actually told us to think hard about what we wanted to do as she said not all airlines or travel companies will be still operational by next summer.
So have a good think about it before agreeing to a voucher which might be worthless next year.

JimmyVik · 30-04-2020 8:44am

Lex Luthor wrote: »

any likelihood these bookings are just people rebooking with vouchers offered to them this year?

I think that is very likely alright.

skooterblue2 · 30-04-2020 8:44am

Deleted User wrote: »

Never done a cruise myself. Are they any good?

When and got married on one last year. We were really well taken care of. Now we had done about a year of looking at cruise videos. We knew what to expect on the eastern Caribbean.

The wedding team were fantastic and sure things went wrong at the last minute (I forgot to charge the battery in the GO-Pro) and they had a charged one on hand. There was no big rush on the photographers time, did a proper album. Had a great meal in small restaurant (had 7 other with us).

What ever you are looking for its there. There is a casino (not our thing), pool and drinks, Kids are hidden in kids club. RC have a new autism program. Every night you have an activity sheet left in your room to help you plan for the following day.

There are ports, shopping, beaches, history culture, dancing, gym .....

If you are looking for something negative its there too. I am aware the staff are on bottom dollar, always on call, its tough on mental health not being able to have privacy on board, hard to have and maintain a relationship being at sea for 4-6 months at a time. I get the same stick from the wife "we cant go away during the school year". Its the life we choose with consequences and benefits.

skooterblue2 · 30-04-2020 8:54am

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

So what is going to happen to all the ships? Their life span is 30 years. They are purpose built for cruising. Its not like take an angle grinder and shure wer will cut through a few rooms and decks and make it into a cargo hold?

This is when you get sharks like Trump, Michael O'Leary and other wolves who will come in and finance. There is an appetite for this tourism. There is a massive consumption of liquor and gambling.

I do realise the ships are at sea doing maintenance and running on skeleton staff. There are no easy answers here.

skooterblue2 · 30-04-2020 5:40pm

Batrachotox wrote: »

Here’s hoping - a disgusting, bloated industry built on sickening over consumption and superficial tourism

What industry/corporation do you work for that allows you this higher moral judgement?

There is no industry/corporation that is above this moral high ground of judgement you aspire to. Every industry makes a bit of pollution, uses a bit of child labour, funds the odd insurgent, exploits people or is built on complete BS to allow it to be successful.

Tourism bring employment to these areas of the world. It has really made me respect people of the Caribbean that a hurricane can pass through and they are up again in a few weeks for business. They can sell passports, make rum, have innovative dishes. Not every country in the world can be Germany or Japan, sometimes the world needs a Barbados.

ELM327 · 30-04-2020 7:13pm

There's great deals with NCL for Q4 cruises. I'm considering booking.
I wouldn't fly there though, I'd drive to the port.

Lex Luthor · 30-04-2020 8:56pm

skooterblue2 wrote: »

So what is going to happen to all the ships?

sold for scrap metal

skooterblue2 · 30-04-2020 10:20pm

Lex Luthor wrote: »

sold for scrap metal

not a chance! most of the biggest are under 15 years old and have loads of life left in them. Do you know what is the price for scrap steel? Then there is the art fixtures and fittings? There is still a massive loss going to be wrote off. Where there is a whole cruise culture going on with loyal programs that are decades old. Emma Cruises on youtube has been on over 40 cruises since the age of 11. She is probably in her late 20's. Cruising has become very affordable over the last 20 years.

spurious · 01-05-2020 9:32pm

Plus once you go on one cruise, you rarely have to pay full price ever again, as they keep sending you offers.

Caranica · 01-05-2020 9:52pm

Is it Norwegian that have the single levels? To encourage people to cruise alone and mingle. I heard the end of a radio interview about them last year. Would consider one, even now.

Lex Luthor · 01-05-2020 10:15pm

cruises with buffets and all inclusive are 2 holidays that dont appeal to me

Lex Luthor · 01-05-2020 10:16pm

cruises with buffets and all inclusive are 2 holidays that dont appeal to me going forward

skooterblue2 · 01-05-2020 11:41pm

Lex Luthor wrote: »

cruises with buffets and all inclusive are 2 holidays that dont appeal to me

If you dont want to go on a cruise please dont book.
There is a lot more to a cruise than all you can eat buffets.
I notice you dont comment on Jamies Italian and Sabor over at Royal Caribbean. You also fail to mention the fine dining in the formal restaurant with its many levels. You make it sound like a bad Vegas Casino at sea.

There is no "all inclusive package". You pay for your room and food. You want drinks or a drinks package that extra. You want a dining experience, that is extra. You want to go to the spa, thats extra. You want to go on a day excursion, that is extra.

I dont think you know anything about the industry. No its not perfect but dont go commenting about something you clearly have a gaping lack of knowledge of.

Will cruises get cancelled this year

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