Can the Cruise Industry survive ?

[Coyote65]

Larry gets it right. SOP.

Terry

 

[firehoser75]

They didn't offer a refund?

See my earlier post #38. No refund, even though they used to about 1 year ago. Now they take some of your deposit for themselves, and give a "partial credit" toward a "future cruise". Not good Customer relations, especially at this time of "bad press" IMHO.

 

[BandB]

As the cruise lines clearly have shown they'll keep taking passengers as long as any will come, the State Department has now issued an advisory against boarding any cruise ship.

 

[Jeff F]

Blah blah blah BOOM.

Check state department advisory and consider the message.

 

[Jeff F]

Blah blah blah BOOM.

Check state department advisory and consider the message.

It's not just don't go, it's we're not going to get you off

 

[koliver]

We returned from a 37 day cruise on Feb 13th. On Feb 14th, my wife became ill with a flu/cold. on Feb 22, I became ill with her flu/cold. On March 2 I went to a physician and got medicated, as this was the worst flu/cold I had ever experienced. She is now better, I am now better.
This bug had nothing to do with Corona (don't even drink it). The ship we were on has continued after our disembarkation in Sydney, Aus, (we boarded in LA and never entered SE Asian waters) and as it entered SE Asian waters, its options lessened. Presently the ports of SE Asia have closed to most cruise ships. many have had testing of all passengers upon arrival, and none have been found failing the tests. None the less, disembarkation has been forbidden and the ships have moved on.
There seems to be a major disconnect between the corona Virus threat and the reality of the actual risk of that virus. In our case, we have suffered a serious cold/flu, apparently unrelated to Corona, and yet those on the same ship are now being refused entry to ports where they actually present no risk.

 

[BandB]

We returned from a 37 day cruise on Feb 13th. On Feb 14th, my wife became ill with a flu/cold. on Feb 22, I became ill with her flu/cold. On March 2 I went to a physician and got medicated, as this was the worst flu/cold I had ever experienced. She is now better, I am now better.
This bug had nothing to do with Corona (don't even drink it). The ship we were on has continued after our disembarkation in Sydney, Aus, (we boarded in LA and never entered SE Asian waters) and as it entered SE Asian waters, its options lessened. Presently the ports of SE Asia have closed to most cruise ships. many have had testing of all passengers upon arrival, and none have been found failing the tests. None the less, disembarkation has been forbidden and the ships have moved on.
There seems to be a major disconnect between the corona Virus threat and the reality of the actual risk of that virus. In our case, we have suffered a serious cold/flu, apparently unrelated to Corona, and yet those on the same ship are now being refused entry to ports where they actually present no risk.

The cruise lines knew they wouldn't be allowed to enter. As to overstating the risk, perhaps on some boats, but not on at least two. There was a boat in South Florida required to cruise outside while two crew members were tested. Their tests were found to be negative and the boat docked at 10:00 tonight in Port Everglades.

The problem is that if it's active on a cruise ship, you're talking a lot of people who can then spread it through a lot of communities. One cruise ship may have 700 or more infected and those 700 if spread around could infect another 2000 or more people. There are a lot of unknowns but one thing well known is that if it's spread on a cruise ship, it's likely widespread and could become extremely so if the people are allowed to leave. I hate what the passengers of Grand Princess are going through right now, but it's all due to infected crew from a previous trip returning on this one. I have no idea how many may be infected, but by some form of quarantine we may best protect them and others. At least that's the hope. This is much like norovirus sweeping through cruise ships, just more deadly, although norovirus can kill.

Yes, it's hard without testing to know what virus anyone has. It's hard to know flu from cold. That's why during flu season people need to be tested and now need to be tested for this.

 

[SteveK]

Instead of pointing fingers of blame, why not look for some facts? Trump can cure cancer and he would be blamed for doctors being out of work.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Coronavirus Cases:
110,071

Deaths:
3,830

Recovered:
62,280

Indeed it is sad to see Wa seniors lose 26. BC just had a seniors care facility hit too. As unfortunate as it is, it is the weak, not the able bodied that are likely to succumb to it.
Cruise ships and airplanes are great incubators.
Anyone else amazed by the chinese building a special hospital within weeks and the steps taken to contain it further?
In a few months the stats will be out, did you get your flu shot?

For heaven's sake don't go to work if you are sick with even a simple flu. Only common sense.

 

[BandB]

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
Coronavirus Cases:
110,071

Deaths:
3,830

Recovered:
62,280

Indeed it is sad to see Wa seniors lose 26. BC just had a seniors care facility hit too. As unfortunate as it is, it is the weak, not the able bodied that are likely to succumb to it.
Cruise ships and airplanes are great incubators.
Anyone else amazed by the chinese building a special hospital within weeks and the steps taken to contain it further?
In a few months the stats will be out, did you get your flu shot?

For heaven's sake don't go to work if you are sick with even a simple flu. Only common sense.

I haven't blamed anyone but if we listened only to those like you who say it's no big deal, then it most certainly would become one. We can't judge it on the basis of what it's done so far, but we must be wary of it's potential.

I'm amazed at the Chinese construction and the shut down, but still don't believe their numbers after seeing their initial Wuhan numbers, I don't believe their deaths in the rest of the country are as low as reported. Many countries I don't believe at this point but fully hope it comes up well short of it's potential and just isolated deaths. If I knew that the deaths were going to be half those of the flu, I'd be thrilled, even if the same as flu, I'd be happy. It's the possibility of being far greater that tells me to take precautions.

That's blaming no one except perhaps the bats and the animal they first transmitted it to.

 

[SteveK]

BNB
I quote statistics, there are more, none are my opinion and your rebuttal is to say if we believe people like me. You don't trust any of the reports, it must be worse than they are saying, don't believe China.
Must be a wonderful place to live in your mind. Doom and gloom, the sky is falling.

 

[BruceK]

...That's blaming no one except perhaps the bats and the animal they first transmitted it to.

Let`s not overlook it`s likely said animal was probably a highly endangered pangolin which if asked would almost certainly have declined being eaten.

 

[Jeff F]

Here's my latest take on the headline question.

http://boatingadventures.ca/2020/03/09/cruise-ships-it-all-fits/

 

[MurrayM]

Let`s not overlook it`s likely said animal was probably a highly endangered pangolin which if asked would almost certainly have declined being eaten.

Ban bushmeat markets!

HIV/AIDS, Ebola, SARS, and now Covid 19 all came from bushmeat.

We’d be better off into the future, and threatened wildlife in shrinking habitats would benefit as well.

 

[BandB]

BNB
I quote statistics, there are more, none are my opinion and your rebuttal is to say if we believe people like me. You don't trust any of the reports, it must be worse than they are saying, don't believe China.
Must be a wonderful place to live in your mind. Doom and gloom, the sky is falling.

I don't buy into the doom and gloom as a certainty either. I buy into the "I don't know" theory.

 

[BandB]

Ban bushmeat markets!

HIV/AIDS, Ebola, SARS, and now Covid 19 all came from bushmeat.

We’d be better off into the future, and threatened wildlife in shrinking habitats would benefit as well.

Definitely something that needs to be done as well as control and management of bats.

 

[High Wire]

Looks like the Grand Princess is heading into SF.

 

[OldDan1943]

Definitely something that needs to be done as well as control and management of bats.

Once again, the media has lost its objective reporting....
The stock market is tumbling, why? It makes no sense. People need to buy stuff.

 

[OldDan1943]

Let`s not overlook it`s likely said animal was probably a highly endangered pangolin which if asked would almost certainly have declined being eaten.

Once the pangolin is all gone, what will be next?
If I want meat or fish, the grocery store sells it.
Ya'll can take your chances....

 

[Donsan]

Once the pangolin is all gone, what will be next?

Beyond Meat will invent a vegetarian Beyond Pangolin.

 

[Woodland Hills]

Once again, the media has lost its objective reporting....
The stock market is tumbling, why? It makes no sense. People need to buy stuff.

The market is dropping because the oil price has collapsed, airlines are flying empty planes, hotels are losing bookings and retail is contracting as people begin to stay home. If the response to this tracks that of every other country in the world with large outbreaks then nearly all economic activity is going to come to a halt as people self-quarantine as directed by their governments.

I’m not sure how the media is to blame for reporting the facts on the ground around the world. People are getting sick, people are dying, hospitals are getting overwhelmed and countries are shutting down their economies in response to try and contain the contagion. Should they not tell us?

 

[Woodland Hills]

Once the pangolin is all gone, what will be next?
If I want meat or fish, the grocery store sells it.
Ya'll can take your chances....

This has nothing to do with food and everything to do with traditional Chinese medicine. The scales are used to “treat” a variety of conditions and the meat is then sold as a luxury good to those who want to flaunt their wealth. But the primary reason they are killed is to harvest the scales.

 

[BruceK]

This has nothing to do with food and everything to do with traditional Chinese medicine. The scales are used to “treat” a variety of conditions and the meat is then sold as a luxury good to those who want to flaunt their wealth. But the primary reason they are killed is to harvest the scales.

I don`t think that makes it any better. Especially for the pangolin.
At last Australia`s Dept of Foreign Affairs has come out and advised against overseas travel, especially on cruise ships,partly because of the infection risk and partly the risk of getting stranded somewhere in quarantine.
Hope Celebrity gets the memo and responds. Don`t want to lose our prepayment.

 

[firehoser75]

Hi Bruce,
I hope you do better than we have with cancellation. Different cruise line (RC), but we were told they changed their refund policy about a year ago. We put a deposit down on back to back Caribbean cruises in December (booked directly with RC) and tried to cancel a couple of days ago. Were told they now withhold $100 each (for their troubles) and the rest will be able to be used on a future cruise with them. We are also substantially more than 90 days out from the cruise date.
Needless to say, not overly impressed. Nothing was said at the time of booking about the changes or refund policy in general, and we did not ask as we have cruised (and cancelled) with them many times before.

 

[OldDan1943]

Refunds from the cruise ships are now a thing of the past. Because of all the cancellation and the expense of maintaining the ships, they are now offering credit for future cruises.
I hear this also applies to the longer over seas flights.

Last time I looked, gas for the car is $2.09 (Atlanta area) and dropping.
I wonder if the ships and air lines can buy futures, 'for future delivery'. It would help supporting and level the fuel prices.
What I fear is, all the taxing authorities will see this price drop as a gold mine and raise the taxes on fuel and gasoline. When prices go back up, the tax levels will remain high. Calif did that with water prices and electric prices.

 

[BandB]

Refunds from the cruise ships are now a thing of the past. Because of all the cancellation and the expense of maintaining the ships, they are now offering credit for future cruises.
I hear this also applies to the longer over seas flights.

Last time I looked, gas for the car is $2.09 and dropping.
I wonder if the ships and air lines can buy futures, 'for future delivery'. It would help level the fuel prices.

The do so all the time. Industrial companies with huge fuel usage play the market.

 

[BruceK]

Hi Bruce,
I hope you do better than we have with cancellation. Different cruise line (RC), but we were told they changed their refund policy about a year ago. We put a deposit down on back to back Caribbean cruises in December (booked directly with RC) and tried to cancel a couple of days ago. Were told they now withhold $100 each (for their troubles) and the rest will be able to be used on a future cruise with them. We are also substantially more than 90 days out from the cruise date.
Needless to say, not overly impressed. Nothing was said at the time of booking about the changes or refund policy in general, and we did not ask as we have cruised (and cancelled) with them many times before.

I suspect there is a draconian agreement we signed up to which stipulates what you get back depending when you cancel. I`d rather get nothing back than die on the ship, but I`d accept a credit. I read in USA Celebrity were refunding and giving 50% off the next one.
Celebrity and RCCL seem associated. Like Princess & P&O. But don`t they all lead back to Carnival? We`ve never used Celebrity before, we choose whichever is going where we want when we want it, if the $ is ok.
I hope yours works out, in 6 months it might look a lot better.

 

[BandB]

I suspect there is a draconian agreement we signed up to which stipulates what you get back depending when you cancel. I`d rather get nothing back than die on the ship, but I`d accept a credit. I read in USA Celebrity were refunding and giving 50% off the next one.
Celebrity and RCCL seem associated. Like Princess & P&O. But don`t they all lead back to Carnival? We`ve never used Celebrity before, we choose whichever is going where we want when we want it, if the $ is ok.
I hope yours works out, in 6 months it might look a lot better.

Celebrity is owned by Royal Caribbean. Totally separate from Carnival which owns Aida, Carnival, Costa, Carnival, Cunard, Holland America, P&O, P&O Australia, Princess and Seabourn. Royal Caribbean owns Azamara, Celebrity, Pullmantur, Royal Caribbean, Share ownership of Silversea, Share ownership of TUI.

 

[AlaskaProf]

Definitely something that needs to be done as well as control and management of bats.

But if we "manage" the bats, who will manage the mosquitoes?

 

[AlaskaProf]

In Puerto Vallarta, which has no sign of the virus yet.

Taxista yesterday advised that Princess has cancelled a Wednesday port-call. Don't know if this a shortage of ships or passengers.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Re: Post #105: