Tracking Cruising Restart: News and Updates

[Intr3pid]

New executive order - looks like there is a suggested quarantine upon reentry into the US from foreign countries, including at sea ports of entry. It says within 14 days they will publish further info on what this all means, what negative tests are acceptable, what form of vaccination proof will be seen as legitimate, etc.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...-safety-in-domestic-and-international-travel/

I think it's become necessary. The new strains also forced Canada's hand to implement very similar measures two weeks ago.

What's more ominous for cruise lines is 5(d):

Sea Travel. The Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Commandant of the Coast Guard and in consultation with the Secretary of HHS and the Director of CDC, shall, within 14 days of the date of this order, submit to the President a plan to implement appropriate public health measures at sea ports.

It's not a plan to 're-open' but a plan to 'implement appropriate public health measures at sea ports'. It might entirely torpedo the CSO from November.

 

[Canadian Girl]

My Christmas cruise is looking a lot less likely.

 

[AquaDame]

The last couple of posts in this thread have been deleted, not because they are not agreed with as suggested, but because we have asked repeatedly that the rules are followed. Political posts are not allowed. It is no secret many have been allowed to slide due to the nature of what is going on right now, but when they are particularly argumentative we will continue to delete them and warn those posters. If you wish to get into a political debate about the choices of the current administration please visit the community board. Thanks!

 

[Intr3pid]

MSC Grandiosa has resumed cruising on its Mediterranean itinerary:
https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5827/
Here is the current position:
https://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/MSC-Grandiosa-1008

 

[Intr3pid]

Celebrity is gunning for a May return with about 50% capacity.
https://cruise.blog/2021/01/celebri...-half-capacity-when-they-restart-and-increase
Taken from a trade webinar run by their VP of sales. They clearly want to send out positive vibes, but I very much doubt a May restart is on the cards.

We have a 14-day August WBTA booked with them. They haven't cancelled it yet - and in fact, are still selling the cruise on their website.

 

[tidefan]

Celebrity is gunning for a May return with about 50% capacity.
https://cruise.blog/2021/01/celebri...-half-capacity-when-they-restart-and-increase
Taken from a trade webinar run by their VP of sales. They clearly want to send out positive vibes, but I very much doubt a May restart is on the cards.

We have a 14-day August WBTA booked with them. They haven't cancelled it yet - and in fact, are still selling the cruise on their website.

You know though... when you think about it, lines like Celebrity and Princess and especially Holland America have a chance to have large portion of their target demographic (these lines skew a bit older, Holland more so than Celebrity or Princess) vaccinated by May, especially if you were only sailing the ship at 50%. I could see it. They have to start somewhere. I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the "test cruises" go out with first responders (similar to the Super Bowl tickets that were given out to vaccinated Medical staff).

 

[kathi]

We are on Celebrity Equinox to Alaska August 1st. I wouldn't mind 50% capacity and expect to be vaccinated by then. Not sure Canada is going to open up for the Alaska market this year. Just had March DCL cancelled - next up is September and Christmas on the Fantasy - I feel like those are possible....I hope. (Have had 4 DCL cruises cancelled so far)

 

[Intr3pid]

American Queen Steamboat and Victory Cruise Lines (both in the US) are now also requiring COVID vaccinations completed at least 14 days before boarding. The policy is effective July.

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cr...ovid-19-vaccines-for-passengers-and-crew.html
Their small size does allow them to choose who to let on. I think it's still highly unlikely that Victory can sail on their currently marketed itineraries in the summer since most of them involve a port in Canada.

NCL, when asked, is not committed yet to vaccination requirements for guests.

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cr...ovid-19-vaccines-for-passengers-and-crew.html

 

[Intr3pid]

MSC just took delivery of another mega ship (Virtuosa) and have plans to get it sailing by April in the Mediterranean.

https://www.travelweek.ca/news/newly-delivered-msc-virtuosa-set-to-begin-sailing-april-2021/

 

[ngl]

We are on Celebrity Equinox to Alaska August 1st. I wouldn't mind 50% capacity and expect to be vaccinated by then. Not sure Canada is going to open up for the Alaska market this year. Just had March DCL cancelled - next up is September and Christmas on the Fantasy - I feel like those are possible....I hope. (Have had 4 DCL cruises cancelled so far)

For whatever it is worth, we have a friend who works in the Executive Staff for a US Port Authority. They do have some cruise ships but not Disney. They are hearing that US cruises are aiming for September assuming all goes well. Again, just hearsay but from a more credible source, I suppose. We have an Oct Dream cruise celebrating a milestone birthday with family & friends but just not sure I want to be one of the first to go! Will see what the next 6 months or so bring....

 

[pjacobi]

Costa Cruise? No thank you! Not after the sinking of the Costa Concordia. Do people forget so easily?


-Paul

 

[otten]

We are on Celebrity Equinox to Alaska August 1st. I wouldn't mind 50% capacity and expect to be vaccinated by then. Not sure Canada is going to open up for the Alaska market this year. Just had March DCL cancelled - next up is September and Christmas on the Fantasy - I feel like those are possible....I hope. (Have had 4 DCL cruises cancelled so far)

Extremely unlikely Canada opens to cruise ships this summer. Our vaccine deployment is going very slowly. I would give your Alaska cruise maybe a 1 percent chance and that’s optimistic.

 

[mevelandry]

Extremely unlikely Canada opens to cruise ships this summer. Our vaccine deployment is going very slowly. I would give your Alaska cruise maybe a 1 percent chance and that’s optimistic.

Every time we receive good news, it’s always for later... Much later.

 

[DisneYE]

For whatever it is worth, we have a friend who works in the Executive Staff for a US Port Authority. They do have some cruise ships but not Disney. They are hearing that US cruises are aiming for September assuming all goes well. Again, just hearsay but from a more credible source, I suppose. We have an Oct Dream cruise celebrating a milestone birthday with family & friends but just not sure I want to be one of the first to go! Will see what the next 6 months or so bring....

Thanks for posting. It's good news even if just hearsay.
It's realistic for cruise lines to aim for September given how good the vaccine rollout is going in the US. (33 million is impressive tbf). I think by Sept everyone in the US who'd have wanted to get a vaccine would have gotten it, hopefully it's a figure close to 80% of the population.
But that's not enough for cruises to sail.
They need the ports where they'll dock to be open. Except for Mexico I don't see Canada, Jamaica, other countries in the Caribbean, Bahamas letting cruises in because of how slow their vaxx campaigns are going.
Like you, we also have a cruise late in the year and would love to sail. But I don't see how unless they only do Cozumel-Costa Maya-CC type of sailings. Which I'm all up for but not sure would happen.

 

[MsAmerica]

Assuming cruising "starts" back in the fall of 21', it will probably initially be at 50% capacity. My question is, who gets canceled?? Many of Disney sailings are almost full, I imagine a lot of disappointment

 

[gismo1554]

Assuming cruising "starts" back in the fall of 21', it will probably initially be at 50% capacity. My question is, who gets canceled?? Many of Disney sailings are almost full, I imagine a lot of disappointment

I feel like they are hoping people will try and move their cruises further out automatically as things move on. That said with them still not changing their FCC from use by May 22 that's going to get more and more unlikely as people will only have a few months to move any FCC they gathered. I feel that they will need to rethink that policy soon

 

[otten]

I feel like they are hoping people will try and move their cruises further out automatically as things move on. That said with them still not changing their FCC from use by May 22 that's going to get more and more unlikely as people will only have a few months to move any FCC they gathered. I feel that they will need to rethink that policy soon

I wouldn’t worry about the FCC dates yet. There is no point in Disney changing it until there are actually cruises to book beyond that date and currently there aren’t.

 

[DisneYE]

Well this sux.
CDC level 4 = DCL will return to US port if one (1) case shows up onboard.
Imagine going on a 14-night or even a 7-night and on day#2 someone gets the bug and ship has to return to port and the entire itinerary is cancelled.
It's 99% likely there will be at least 1 Covid-related case onboard based on a ship with 4000 ppl.
Does the CDC not realize that even with vaccines being 99% effective, that's 40 ppl statistically likely to get the virus?
Gosh this is a huge buzzkill.

https://insidethemagic.net/2021/02/...L1VhSVeZP-02VrVBCxHb-MUyzkTiFzqwr3TqlOVJcxTT8

 

[mevelandry]

Well this sux.
CDC level 4 = DCL will return to US port if one (1) case shows up onboard.
Imagine going on a 14-night or even a 7-night and on day#2 someone gets the bug and ship has to return to port and the entire itinerary is cancelled.
It's 99% likely there will be at least 1 Covid-related case onboard based on a ship with 4000 ppl.
Does the CDC not realize that even with vaccines being 99% effective, that's 40 ppl statistically likely to get the virus?
Gosh this is a huge buzzkill.

https://insidethemagic.net/2021/02/...L1VhSVeZP-02VrVBCxHb-MUyzkTiFzqwr3TqlOVJcxTT8

I don’t see how cruise lines could sail under these conditions.

I think ships cannot sail more than 7 nights in a row right now? (Until 2022)?

 

[otten]

I don’t see how cruise lines could sail under these conditions.

I think ships cannot sail more than 7 nights in a row right now? (Until 2022)?

I think that might actually be the point. CDC is effectively stopping cruises without putting in a new no sail order