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Showing content with the highest reputation on 06/19/2020 in all areas

  1. Pick and choose your travel agency wisely. Ask questions and read the fine print! Last year I reached out to @AnnetteJackson at MEI regarding a possible upcoming cruise. She had booked several cruises for us over the last few years, but I stumbled across a deal from a Big Box online travel agency that seemed to good to be true. Unfortunately she was unable to match the Big Box travel agencies low low "clearance" price so I thought wth, I will give them a try. The deal seemed so good that I started researching other sailings and booked two. Doh! All good until you need to make changes or cancel. A few of the fees that I can think of that we have been hit with: $50 per person to cancel $35 for a date change $35 for a ship change $25 if you replace passenger with someone else $25 to adjust for price drops $25 for cabin changes Next I fear they will start charging a fee for calling! The discounted upfront cruise rate was eventually eaten up with fees. The lack of customer service is laughable. You never talk to the same person and wait for days to get a reply via phone or email. This was even before the virus. Now it's longer. Still waiting for a reply to an email I sent last Friday. MEI has never charged me or anyone I have referred to them a single penny for the above listed services. That's because they don't charge any fees. I learned my lesson and wanted to warn others who might think about trying one of the so called discount online agencies.
    9 points
  2. Only if my livelyhood doesn't depend on it. I feel for these TAs, as I'm sure it does make them uneasy. For me, not a big knot. Probably more like gas. ?
    8 points
  3. Or maybe people want something to look forward to...especially after the last few months.
    7 points
  4. This pandemic has made for a lot of changes in the cruising world from cancellations, lift and shifts, FCCs and everyone’s least favorite topic … REFUNDS! It definitely has made a lot of people take a new look at life and that is exactly what a few agents at MEI-Travel have done. Danette LeBlanc after 7 years with Mei-Travel is stepping away to spend time with her family. Her father has terminal cancel and she wants to spend all the time she can with him and the family at this time. Prayers to her and her family as they navigate this incredibly hard time. Also, Stephanie Hudson after 15 years has decided to take some time to step away and enjoy her new home on the coast of NC. While this is not her retirement home, I am sure after all this time a little break to put her toes in the sand is what she needs at this time. Wishing her all the best (and a little jealous). MEI-Travel is working over the next week to contact their clients with a new agent that is stepping into very big sets of shoes to fill, but the new agents can do it. It does take a little time to ensure that the new agent has everything and both Danette and Stephanie will be working thru June 30th to help with the transition of their clients. To say that this was a very hard decision for both of them is an understatement. Also, I want to thank all of you for allowing me to work with you all. Being able to chat with your guys almost daily for the past 5 years or more has helped me grow in knowledge of Royal and cruising. There is no way I can think of this group without thinking about all the group cruises – the laughter, the tears, the burning bus, the exploding toilet, the first stop at Perfect Day, St Patrick’s Day and the most expensive Guinness beer or two I have ever paid for… and the memories go on and on….. SHOTS! How could I not mention the SHOTS! But more importantly, Matt. The countless hours of planning for group events, looking up changes and many possible group cruises that never happened, there is just not enough time for me to write up how special my relationship with Matt and his family is. All of this made it very hard for me to make this change, but I am stepping away from MEI-Travel to pursue a new opportunity. This new opportunity will come with new challenges and a chance to spread my wings a little. I hope our paths cross on a cruise some day or maybe in the Orlando area some time (This time without my suitcase with me!). MEI-Travel has a team of agents that work with Matt and they work together to provide great service to you all. I know with cancellations coming in the very near future you might be concerned with all this change, but the team is there to help you all. See you on a cruise! Annette Jackson
    6 points
  5. And I am beginning to wonder when, under the unwritten rules of modern doublespeak, that "Voluntary" became a euphemism for "Forced by some irrelevant bureaucrats" ??
    6 points
  6. I'm sadder to read this than I am about canceled cruises ?
    5 points
  7. I will say this if we "lift and SHIFT" to August 2021 and that gets cancelled I will shit.
    5 points
  8. CDC doesn't have enough information to decide when sailing would resume. It's quite clear CDC doesn't want to work with the cruise lines. They had more than enough time to work with cruise lines to create prorocols to deal with covid-19.
    5 points
  9. EXACTLY!! @bobroo There have been lockdowns, public schooling at home, food shortages, paper products and disinfectant shortages, unpaid furloughs from work, deaths of family and friends to which we were not able to have funerals. Now we have protests, riots, civil unrest, the possibility of more lockdowns due to a spike in some areas, and just plain bad news streaming from everywhere. WE ALL NEED A BREAK! We all have thousands of dollars tied up in our cruises and the thought of that much money being in limbo or some of it not returned isn't something any of us want to think about either. I don't think our stomach is in knots, but it is one more stressor to an already stressful 3 or 4 months.
    5 points
  10. The internet is a horrible, evil place full of opinions and noise. SO many people shoot from the hip just to feel better or be first, as opposed to actually digging in, and backing up what you say with data. THIS is good info to combat those that say "Cruise lines dont fly American flags to avoid paying taxes." Its not entirely wrong.....its just not correct, and those that say it are generally uninformed, or attempting to make a much more complex thing, simple for the sake of arguing. https://cruiseradio.net/fact-check-do-cruise-lines-pay-us-taxes/
    5 points
  11. Fair points Ampur85. I'll respond....... On Protocols and the time it takes to design and implement them: I find it hard to imagine that the CDC and RCL have been sitting on their hands over the last 3 months. I trust the Trump administration and HHS have the best interests of companies hurt by C-19 in concert with considerations for the public health of the cruising US public. Certainly the Trump administration is pro-business, pro-reopening to bring the US economy back up to speed. While technically RCL is not a US registered business the US jobs it's operations support in the travel and leisure industry are no drop in the bucket. I can't cite the numbers but they cannot be insignificant. I'm going to assume that RCL has contingency plans recently designed to support a re-start of operations in August. Did those contingency plans get developed in the dark? I doubt it. and here's my reasoning why: This is a company that employs hundreds of thousands of workers within their operational supply chain and is capable of producing multi-billion dollar annual revenues. Will the US via the HHS/DHS/CDC machinery keep them shuttered? My magic eight ball says decidedly NO! I think these agencies run by Trump people want them to survive and thrive and to that end, they are talking to them privately if not secretly about what needs to be done to allow them to lift the no-sail order. We got a glimpse of it already with the color code system for ships repatriating crew despite denials from CDC spokespersons that it had nothing to do with stipulations the CDC will come up with for passenger carriage on those same ships. We'll see about that. I'd add that CLIA was already on to designing and implementing safety and health protocols for COVID before the CDC no-sail-order got dropped. On other countries not welcoming cruise ships with primarily Americans on board regardless of the benefits to their economies: I think this issue is the one most likely to scuttle an August restart. This is especially true if new C-19 cases continue to surge in the US as they appear to be now, notwithstanding my view that new case numbers without qualifying context are about worthless. That won't make any difference. High new US case numbers and associated growth rates may be used as a means to prohibit cruise ships from entering their ports of call regardless of any mandated CDC protocols and promises of adherence to them that RCL will offer. On a positive note, I could see RCL doing some arm twisting here, or call it incentivizing officials with either withholding further infrastructure development or offering more of it including additional head taxes. I'd add that unlike NCL and probably Carnival, RCL is in a much better cash position to take the risks associated with a first to dive in to the darkened pool of the unknown. Don't think for a moment that RCL does not have on its list of things to do to grab market share. Early bird gets the worm and all that. This is a highly competitive industry and the fittest and boldest will survive and thrive; weak sisters will take a back seat. That is a powerful motivator to get this thing done and if things they can't directly control fall into place, and I've provided reason to believe they will, RCL will be sailing by August. On the bad PR issue: I believe I addressed that. This is an Occam's Razor circumstance. The simplest solution or explanation will prevail. In finding explanations for actions, in this case by RCL, the simplest thing to do is to follow the money. I contend that RCL knows exactly what they will do to counter past and future bad optics fabricated by the national media without the facts to back up their ridiculous "Petri Dish" characterization of a cruise ship (I addressed that with some facts in another post here). I feel confident that knowing how they will cope with this puts worrying about it down the list of immediate priorities. Generating revenue by operating their ships is key, top on the corporate to do list, and they will try to do that any way they can beyond pushing future bookings which has to be running out of steam. This includes implementing a step-wise approach - a few selected sailings to demonstrate their capacity to not only operate but do it safely. I believe that will start in August.... as fanciful a prediction as that might be. Follow the money. The corporate entity that is RCL is not timid and if they were before C-19 or continue to be in addressing it going forward, they would have then or in the current circumstance deserve(d) to fail. That won't happen. Lastly, I think you base a good deal of your view that RCL will not start as early as I suggest it will because they won't risk the potential cost of litigating and potentially losing a tort claim involving allegations of recklessness or negligence in a passenger's death secondary to C-19. The link provides a decent discussion of why Cruise lines are relatively immune to such tort claims to wit: "Suing a cruise line for these types of cases (C-19 illness/deaths) is extraordinarily difficult." That's because cruise lines enjoy a number of protections. They're not U.S. companies and not subject to health and safety regulations like the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)......" There's way more in the article below and all toll it adds up to, RCL is covered. https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/22/840525310/even-with-covid-19-cases-suing-cruise-lines-is-extraordinarily-difficult Hope this helps to raise, in your mind, the chances of starting up in August to what I believe is a 50/50 proposition - that low of a probability resting solely on factors I mentioned that are beyond RCL's control and not trending favorably in their direction. I'll acquiesce to your outlook should I not see favorable trends in the uncontrollables I speak of by early July.
    5 points
  12. MAYBE THEY'RE PROCESSING ALL THE REFUNDS TODAY AND . . . nevermind.
    5 points
  13. Seems to me CLIA and the rest of the industry needs to have some better lobbyists and PACs.
    4 points
  14. I am so thankful they somehow managed to avoid using the phrase "out of an abundance of caution..." ?????
    4 points
  15. Pima1988

    Covid 19 Memes

    Hope this posted/
    4 points
  16. I believe they are waiting for CDC to give them a decisive answer as to whether they are going to extend the US do not sail order past July 24th before they make an announcement.
    4 points
  17. Matt

    What are they waiting for

    Welcome to the message boards. I don't think it's as crystal clear what RC should or shouldn't do. We're talking about what sailings they should or should not cancel more than a month and a half from now. While the "big 3" do have a tendency to follow each other, it doesn't mean they have to or should. I mean, August 1 will be a solid 2+ weeks after Walt Disney World opens in Florida.
    4 points
  18. mworkman

    Where are the Big Suites ?

    My best guess would be that a greedy Suite snob from Canada scooped them all up, just saying! ?
    4 points
  19. Yes, I'm back up, too! They must have oiled Peter's wheel and gave him some treats!
    4 points
  20. I believe that most of us avid cruisers who have developed an insatiable taste for it are letting the media’s view on COVID and the chaos in America's cities create a reality that is quite different from that of the cruise industry - especially RCL and its brands. I want to change your view to coincide more closely to how I think RCL sees things. Warning: This is a long post but nevertheless something to consider. Apologies in advance. if TLTR then stop here and don't. I'm a retired USMC pilot and later an EM Physician Assistant with 22 years of practice, now retired. I'm a consumer of abundant COVID (C-19) data, medical journals and scientific research. I live in Fort Lauderdale so I am being constantly bombarded by very negative C-19 national and local news that often fails to include context. It's hard to remain positive in light of that. But the medical and scientific facts paint a more hopeful circumstance for this C-19 pandemic than the social, print, and broadcast media paint. I’m an optimist! Certainly, reopening is causing more social contact and more new C-19 cases; that was anticipated by FL's public health and other government officials including Governor Desantis. I suspect that's the case in other regions and states. Despite the hand-wringing of Governor Desantis' political opponents, such hand-wringing being augmented by a politically hostile FL press, It's pretty clear that FL officials have decided that the benefits of getting residents of this state back to work outweigh the risks (so far) of more C-19 infections. State and local officials have apparently also decided that they can deflect the "blood on your hands" harangue from the press over reopening too soon or too fast. Other states are following similar paths in reopening and suffering similar backlash and doubts. Don't get me wrong. SARS-CoV-2 and the illness it produces, C-19, is serious stuff. But here are some things we've learned about it: It's a virus with the same natural pathogenesis (the way it evolves in terms of what we see in a human host with no immunity) as past pandemics like the 1918 Spanish Flu. It has a steep growth rate, plateaus then declines (the shape and length of plateaus and slope of the decrease will vary by region and be affected by controllable factors). It’s highly transmissible and therefore hard to contain – more so than anything virologists have seen in the past. COVID-19 deaths are dropping as states protect vulnerable populations and those that are vulnerable to serious illness alter their behaviors. See chart of FL's COVID deaths below. Global death rates are declining. Death rates tend to be one of the best indicators of the severity and decline or accelerations of a pandemic. The proportion of new infections since US reopening is dominated by the under 45 age cohort. This cohort, on balance, suffers only minor symptoms. Despite alarm bells being sounded in press rooms about hospital capacity "close to or at limits,” the facts don't support that headline. See your own state’s Public Health Dashboards US testing and contact tracing have improved over time, esp. in FL. It is likely that this will have a salutary effect on the spread of the disease in states that were early adapters. While the medical community won't categorically state that masks and social distancing reduce the spread of the virus because of a lack of controlled studies to confirm that hypothesis, the anecdotal evidence that these simple mitigation measures work v. the spread of SARS-CoV-2 is overwhelming. With that as a back-drop, back to my point - RCL is a business that depends on income and profits to survive. They unemotionally assess risks to their business model all the time and the impact of C-19, while unprecedented, is just one of them. There are things that are in their control - operating expenses v. income - and things that aren't - CDC's No Sail Order, Home Port and Port of Call openings, the pathogenesis of C-19 in regions where RCL has operating interests. Nevertheless, the need to generate income is going to be a primary driver in decisions to start operating. In my view, sooner rather than later. I also believe that the various ports that RCL and CLIA have to deal with will do the same kind or risk/benefit analysis our states are doing and conclude that for the sake of their economies, esp. the tourism industries, they have to open to cruise ships and deal with the downside potentials if and when they happen. To that end, Port Everglades is open and, according to an update on their web page yesterday is, "ready to welcome the cruise industry back and are prepared to welcome back guests with enhanced sanitation and social distancing measures in our terminals." Certainly, early returning cruisers are going to find potentially inconvenient mitigation measures in place, for example, strictly enforced and widely separated boarding times, proof of recent RT-PCR (swabs) negative testing before embarking or debarking from certain ports among many others that you have heard about (masks, limited capacity in the ships and in ships venues, etc.). Early return to cruising passengers are going to have to plan for and to be flexible enough to accommodate those likely mitigation measures along with itinerary changes, the possibility of being denied entry to a port of call or even home port if a crew member or passenger comes down with C-19, ship swap outs and changes in transportation to and from embarkation/debarkation points. If you are an early cruiser, you can also expect strict control measures for preventing C-19 or dealing with single or multiple C-19 infections on board should that occur. There will most likely be protocols for cruise lines for covering the costs of disembarking/transferring and quarantining C-19 positive passengers and crew both onboard and once ashore acceptable to home ports and ports of call - a huge task but one that cruise lines will figure out. Could they require passengers to carry travel insurance? I think that is entirely possible and even likely. If you get C-19 while aboard, you'll be quarantined, and I'd expect you will be required to debark at the next port of call at your expense/covered by your travel insurance. All of this is going to affect your experience in potentially negative ways. Get your mind wrapped around these if you plan on jumping in early. Some won't want to deal with any of this and if you don't think you can, now is the time to re-think taking at risk cruises and those are probably the ones through the end of 2020 and into the 1st and second quarter of 2021 - assuming decreasing risk of having to deal with the various inconveniences over time. My take is that "normalcy" - and even then it won't be like cruising pre-C-19 - will return in the 3rd quarter of 2021 (July - a year from now) and then only if a SARS-CoV-2 preventative vaccine - or at least one that has shown to protect against the most serious complications of C-19 - is available and scalable. That's the bad news ................OTH, I believe there's good news too. I believe the CDC's release of it's color coding system that applies to the ships involved in the cruise industries repatriation efforts is a harbinger of a color-coding system for ships that will have passengers aboard. I also think the CDC is closer to green-lighting cruise ship operations out of US ports than we think, and I use the no news is good news slogan as a basis for that view. I have no doubt that CLIA and other industry lobby groups are putting polite pressure on the CDC and the Trump administration to lift the no-sail order. They must be. There are more factors and benefits weighing for restarting RCL operations, as soon as things RCL doesn't have control over start moving favorably in their direction, than the factors against or risks of a C-19 infection occurring on one of their ships. From a corporate standpoint it is a choice between insolvency or solvency; bankruptcy or operational viability. The cruise industry, in varying degrees and based on a company's cash position, is getting absolutely hammered - probably worse than any and they have a right to bitch about it and haven’t at least not publicly. Behind the scenes? Absolutely. Carnival announced today it is selling or scraping 6 of its 8 Fantasy class ships in the next 90 days - that's a big chunk of change and as the vessels are actually sold or scrapped a sizable reduction in operating costs. We'll see these kinds of measures characterizing the cruise industries attempts to remain solvent while trumpeting such actions as injurious to any US agency holding the keys to restarting the gas turbines that will listen. My view is that across the industry generating income through sailings, even on a limited basis and as soon as possible, will be at the forefront and parallel any kind of cost shedding measures like Carnival just took. What about the risk of bad PR - something that popped up very early in the pandemic and was also highly damaging to the industry's rep and continues to be damaging? Dealing with bad PR if a cruise ship is found to have even one C-19 positive passenger or crew - something you have to believe RCL is planning on even now - is small potatoes compared to dealing with insolvency and bankruptcy. Think about that for a moment. Put yourself in the shoes of RCLs' CEO, Richard Fain. Corporations, especially one with the potential to generate 10s of billions in annual revenues, tend to survive. RCL will put its survival at the top of its list of short term corporate goals. I'm an optimist, I think RCL will sail, all things out of their control assumed to trend favorably, in August and on a limited basis. I think an early, limited start in the Caribbean has potential; I think the med, again on a limited/selected basis, has potential. We already know what regions are out for an August restart. Beyond that, it's anyone's guess..... you have mine. If Fain is to be believed, when RCL starts sailing again, while the experience will be different, it's likely to be as good as RCL can make it and I have no doubt it will still be overwhelmingly good. I'll enthusiastically jump right in with my mind and travel plans adjusted appropriately - Celebrity Equinox, 8n S. Caribbean, departs Fort Lauderdale August 1st, 2020..... a west bound translant out of Barcelona in October and a Holiday Cruise at the end of December.
    3 points
  21. Although I have only been a member on here for just a short while, I always found your post helpful. You seem to take everything in stride and seem like a kind,warm and fun person. Times are changing and so must we. I hope all the MEI agents making such changes find whatever joy, love and peace they can.
    3 points
  22. Don't. It's all in good fun. ?
    3 points
  23. Well, next stock rise I will be dumping more RCCL stock along with CCL & NCL. Rather to win high than lose low.
    3 points
  24. Get used to it. That is a regular thing around here. They even have a whole thread about it. ?
    3 points
  25. They should. They have been allowing L&S on cancelled cruises.
    3 points
  26. Ok thinking outside the box here. It's a stretch. Wondering if CDC had called up CLIA and asked them to extend the no sailing. To dodge the incoming complaints and make them look like the bad guy.. lol
    3 points
  27. Read it here as well (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/19/cruise-lines-voluntarily-suspend-all-trips-out-of-us-ports-until-sept-15-trade-group-says.html). The goal just keeps on moving...My family is on the 9/25/2020 Enchantment of the Seas sailing out of Galveston, TX. We would be the second cruise after this new start date. I don't know how much I want to be a test subject. I think the rules for being on the ship will determine things for my family. Thanks for sharing the article!
    3 points
  28. Right. Blame the Canadians...
    3 points
  29. It is the only Star Class I've been on, but man was it fun! Even got to steer the ship! So accommodating!! ?
    3 points
  30. Yes, of course. And the Air Force has its own spirited cry which can mean anything positive. Here are some examples: Hooah - Army; Hoorah - Navy; Oorah - Marine Corps; Nice Putt - Airforce.
    3 points
  31. And Oasis Aug 24'th - You want spacing, you have your spacing right there!
    3 points
  32. Pima1988

    CDC guidance

    I mean exactly that. They will stay in the hotel by the pool thinking they are socially distancing and not go to the theme park, hence, in their mind they are being pro-active. They are not going to pack up and say let's get out of here, unless they go to the hospital. They paid $$$ for the family reunion and by dang it they will fight through this, at least for aa day. Afterall, it might be too much heat, not enough hydration, too much activity, etc. etc. Just need a "down" day and will feel better. Let's also be real. I could go to WDW for 5 nights and feel fine. The day we drive out I start to feel "funky". We drive (12 hrs) so lots of stops for food and gas. I abide by wearing a mask at these stops, but take it off to eat at Cracker Barrel, I use hand sanitizer as soon as I sit down. Finished eating, we go and buy some snacks, etc. still wearing a mask. Never using the bathroom. What you behind me didn't realize was that I picked up that bag of Munchos and placed them back for that fake cheese popcorn. You just took that bag of Munchos. I use the ATM pin pad right before you and you use it without wiping it down. My germs are on both the Munchos and the ATM pin pad. I get home the next day and I have CoVid. You, unwittingly are now at risk. I already infected a ton of people before I even felt funky just because I was at WDW sitting on that tea cup ride or holding on to the handle at Splash Mountain. Mask or no mask. Fact is those germs are on my hands when I wipe my face from sweat. WDW is not as clean as any cruise ship. Yet, WDW and Vegas are allowed to reopen. Have you even thought about how much you are exposed to at your local grocery store even if they require masks and social distancing? They are not sanitizing like a cruise ship. Great example. When you buy your eggs, do you just grab a carton, or do you take it out, open it up and touch each egg to make sure none are cracked? If so, you just placed your germs all over that container. I come behind you 1 min later and do the exact same thing. How about that eggplant or broccoli, are you taking just the 1st one there, or are you inspecting them and placing it back? How many germs do you think are there? Your last comment about barricading is impo now a fact for many cruisers. I see it from a booking issue. My SoS May 2021 sailing no longer has any JS balconies left. The spacious balcony (lower cat) is now running higher than what I got my JS at. My husband and I have always done balcony. I personally believe that every cruise line will have to do deep discounts for interior cabins because of that exact fear. I would also add that is one reason why they will roll out Oasis and Quantum class 1st. Those ships have a lot more balconies, A lot more space from a density aspect compared to Freedom class ships. I will sail as soon as I can. I believe 1 thing, the day you are born, the day you will die is set. I have to believe that due to the fact my husband flew fighters for the USAF for 21 yrs and my son is a pilot for USAF now. I cannot live in fear. I can live in checking off my bucket list items, such as zip lining, para sailing, and now riding a scooter underwater to see Sea Turtles!
    3 points
  33. I agree. The problem is that the CDC seems to be dragging their feet a bit. Personally I think that they should just make everyone be screened before getting on the ship and take precautions while aboard and just let us sail.
    3 points
  34. Hope springs eternal! It's what is keeping most of us going at this point.
    3 points
  35. But carefully sidestepped with "we will do whatever you do on land" ...
    3 points
  36. 3 points
  37. FionaMG

    Port change

    I worked a summer season in a coastal resort near Ravenna in the distant past. It's a looong way from Venice, as the transfer time testifies. In case it might be helpful for anyone travelling independently and not able or willing to avail themselves of the shuttle services, there are several international airports closer to Ravenna than Venice Marco Polo. The closest is Rimini at a distance of 34 miles. It is mostly a tourist gateway to the Adriatic coast, so the majority of flights will be European low-costs but it might work for some, especially Brits. Next is Bologna at a distance of 46 miles, followed by Florence at 65 miles. These two will undoubtedly offer a wider range of "proper" international flights, so may work better for anyone coming from the States. As a caveat, I have to say I don't know how easy (or difficult) it is to get from any of these airports to Ravenna. Things will certainly be very different from the days when I guided coach-loads of package holidaymakers up and down the coast too many years ago to mention!
    3 points
  38. rebooked on the 6 night from FLL. rate went up from my 7 night galveston sail date, but they honored the original rate for the 2br AS (taxes changed slightly, though)...so all is good!
    3 points
  39. I have always been pessimistic, according to some posters?, but I think they will cruise this year. I almost wish i had placed a bet in Vegas because I had middle September as my restart date. I stand by that date with October 1st be the latest possible restart date. Even with a second wave, that won't really happen as the 1st hasn't left, I cannot see them scraping the fall and winter season. I can see the ban being lifted on Aug 1st but that the cruise lines will need the next 45 days to get everything in order. The CDC are being douches, they won't extend but they won't approve until the last minute. Which would have left the lines scrambling and rushing, resulting in further delays. By voluntarily choosing to extend, they give themselves time to do things right. I think by Aug some international travel will be opened and countries will be more accepting of cruises.
    2 points
  40. WAAAYTOOO

    Cruise Planner Problem

    Geez...you'd think they could get the easy stuff right !!! I would take the easy way out on this one and just file a CC dispute. You KNOW you will win this one and it's a lot easier than trying to screw around with their inept CS team. Take pix of the cancellation notification and send it all in as part of the dispute.
    2 points
  41. The refund situation is very aggravating at this point. I am buying nothing else through the cruise planner until they get their refund act together.
    2 points
  42. My God, if this isn't a perfect summary of 2020 in general. Well said.
    2 points
  43. I hide them so they don't take up so much room ?
    2 points
  44. FWIW I've spent the last week or so funneling my normal cruise obsession into All Inclusive land vacation research. I went ahead and booked for 2022 (why not) to try to lift my vacation spirits and get familiar with the options so if our 7 day November Allure trip is cancelled I know where to go and what steps to take to get something else on the books. If our short weekend trips in August and September cancel it's not a huge deal but if our biggie in November cancels I will need to replace for the same time frame a real 7 day vacation. Nothing of any use to anyone here; just sharing my experience so you know you're not alone ?
    2 points
  45. and the Navigator itineraries out of Miami in August too! ?
    2 points
  46. I think you're onto something. I got the notice when booking my Eastern Med cruise on Odyssey - hubby and me were comparing itineraries for 10 minutes and couldn't figure out what had changed. We have an overnight in Athens, so this most likely triggered the notice.
    2 points
  47. This is an excellent article for everyone to share on their social media. Perception versus reality of cruise ships. Most all of us can relate to the measures taken to keep us healthy onboard. Now it’s time we let Joe Public know that ships aren’t the Petri dishes they’ve been led to believe they are. http://www.yourcruisecoach.com/cruise-travel-and-covid-19-perception-vs-reality/
    2 points
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