SteveinSC

This.... I see a lot of people talking about their November cruises, December cruises...etc....and I feel like im Negative Nick over here thinking no way anything on the old schedule remains. I feel like the changes will extend deep into 2021 schedule wise.

Wondering: Its known that once cruising resumes, it will be a trimmed list of ships going, on shorter itineraries. Right? I have heard this said over, and over. So, this has me thinking....Im booked for a 7 day on Harmony the 2nd week of March. WILL IT CRUISE? Im beginning to lean toward no. Especially now that we know the CDC doesnt think we should sail till Feb at the earliest? White House has set a rolling evaluation starting Nov. 1st? Obviously nobody knows what this looks like, exactly. But am I off to think that "at first" probably doesnt mean just the first month or so? Goodness, all of us with cruises in the next 6 months to a year have to be wondering....is my sailing safe?

Im fortunate enough to be in half a days driving distance to most ports in Florida. I have only ever flown for one cruise...driven for all others. I most definitely prefer driving. I like the control (albeit somewhat imagined) I have over the situation. I plan to drive in March. BUT.....I would absolutely fly (of course the day before, @Matt ), if someone paid for my tickets! Ha!

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23570-tui-reports-negative-covid-19-tests-as-mein-schiff-6-sits-in-piraeus.html According to this, after two more tests, all 12 are testing negative. What a mess....

Probably the least anxiety inducing change ive encountered this year....kudos

Im starting to feel a little better after todays Richard Fain video, and @Matt's recent posts....things ARE looking up. I wont REALLY feel better until there is an announced plan, though.....and Go Heels. I wasnt Tarheel born, but I was Tarheel raised, and ive been to too many basketball, football, and baseball games in Chapel Hill to count.

Not gonna lie, with everything going on in the world...social media....and the seemingly no end in sight bad news in the cruising world....my outlook on cruising, and especially my March Harmony sailing has been nothing more than MEH. I feel like its increasingly doubtful we will sail, and if we do, the itinerary will be nothing like the cruise booked (which may or may not be fine.) I need some good cruise news, some good signs, some glimmer of hope....What do yall have for me?

.....as long as its back before March 07!!!

I like the idea of a 70s party....but if its not like Dazed and Confused, im going to be disappointed.

Ill take a test to get on board...sure..... https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2020/08/10/royal-caribbean-cruises-likely-have-covid-19-testing-upon-return/3302471001/ But what happens when people get false negatives??????

Id keep and eye on Chris Wong's channel on You Tube. I imagine the employees wont be allowed to announce anything, though....but staffing the ships for sure, will be a good sign. First and foremost, the CDC has to lift the no sail order. At this point, I sincerely doubt my March sailing on Harmony will go.....or at least it wont be what it is now. Less days, different ports, and such.

If its that long till cruising is back.....cruise lines and cruise lovers are doomed. Jeff Bezos and the likes will be gobbling up the lines. We will be sailing on Royal Amazon Cruise Lines...... ......except "Every destination, Aruba to Zimbabwe" As long as they have an unlimited drinks package.....im down.

thats the most amazing thing ive ever seen......thats either very high praise for an old bay storage key chain, or and indictment on what ive seen in life...you decide.

Well, yeah.....thats where all the people are.

Well, depends on where you are. Our numbers are mostly coming from Charleston, Greenville-Spartanburg, and Myrtle Beach (in that order). Where i live (just across the border south of Charlotte, NC)....not so bad. Y'all c'mon down!!!! In January you can have days where its either 65 and sunny, or 32 and freezing rain. Roll the dice! lol

Well, imagine RC will follow suit, here. I guess every month that passes without a decision just means another future month with no cruising. Seems theyre saying they need around 3 months from a decision to get everything implemented and squared away?

Seconded! Kentucky in Spring is one of my favorite places. If youve never been to Louisville for the Derby, you havent lived. It will change your life. You combine the beauty of Kentucky with BOURBON and horses???? Whats not to love?!?!?!!? I need a mint julep.

Now, THAT makes some sense. And goes back to my point of, they dont really CARE what the public thinks.....lol. Makes sense that a govt. department has to feign interest in the public input before taking action.

Thats exactly my point. Im sure there is some good that can be pulled from it.....but good LORD would you want to have to be the one to sift through it all to get that good? Its like a twitter poll.....keyboard warriors and jokers mucking up the results. Why would you subject yourself to that if you REALLY want answers? Id ask doctors, epidemiologists, people in the cruise industry with knowledge of how lines actually operate, people in logistics even.....then people that actually cruise.....not people that never have, or ever will. And definitely not just anyone on the internet!

Reading the post on the blog by @Matt (basically a list of things they want our input on) felt like they were saying "this is why we havent allowed cruising." But some of the questions were just ridiculous: "a. Should cruise ship operators deny boarding to passengers with COVID-like illness or confirmed infection with COVID-19?" uhh.....ya think?!?!?! I think asking questions in that list to Joe and Jane Doe is begging for ridiculous answers. Youre going to have a large portion of people saying "nothing can be done....cancel cruising forever" and youre going to have a large portion saying "nothing can be done....just let me on the ship" and theyre going to have to sift through to get REAL information???? Feels like they just threw out something to say "see......we care........" Im not buying it. If they CARED theyd work with people that have the knowledge to actually answer these questions (looking at you, Blue Ribbon Panel)....not Steve in South Carolina that punches keys on a computer all day.

Kinda feel like this gets lost in all of the other garbage...weve done unheard of things.

Ive done the bourbon trail....well.....a good portion of it. Woodford, Buffalo Trace, Makers, Wild Turkey, Evan Williams, Heaven Hill (makes a lot of different ones), and Willett! LOVED IT!!!!