GrandmaAirplane

Bermuda will be another destination to watch, as they implement their recently released phased-in approach to re-opening. They have always had a more ‘up-market’ focus for their tourism promotion, and may well re-open to fly-in tourists before cruisers. It will be a matter of balancing the bringing in of the highest tourist dollars (i.e. golf/yacht/spa tourists) vs. risk to public health. The bottom line is that for the next few months, any cruise originating from a U.S. port will be perceived as being a risk factor for bringing in a highly contagious virus into a fragile system. And for Bermuda, this perception may jeopardize their attractiveness as a destination for fly-in tourists in the short-term.

For 2020, this cruise will not be happening with the stated itinerary. This year’s summer and fall tourist season in Canada for non-Canadian visitors is toast, especially as the 14-day quarantine requirement on arrival will continue for the months to come. The outbreak will not yet be contained, by the time the decision to extend port closures in Canada beyond July 1st is made. The grim projections for high numbers of daily deaths in the U.S. (released by the White House this week) extends to the end of June. As for Canada, Newfoundland will not even permit other Canadian tourists to visit for now. P.E.I. is tentatively considering opening up to a regional “bubble” with New Brunswick - both having taken a strict approach to controlling who enters (and which will not be quick to welcome tourists yet.) Nova Scotia will not risk a fresh outbreak either. All of these Maritime provinces are closely watching what is happening in Québec - with Montreal not having their numbers under control either, and knowing full well that the outbreak in Montreal was made worse there by rapid spread originally from NYC (through several well-documented gatherings.) Canada is heeding warnings of the strong likelihood of a second wave coming to us in the fall. All of our efforts is in making sure that our health system is not stretched beyond capacity, as long as no effective treatment or vaccine exists.This is the focus of Canada’s and of its provinces’ public health efforts, that guide policy-making decisions. Cruises will not be happening in Canada this season. As my Ottawa-based doctor quipped to me yesterday: “your next cruise will be on the Rideau Canal.”

I do think that this will come to pass, as part of a “soft” re-opening of the tourism sector. I don’t doubt that a robust campaign to promote domestic tourism will ensue. However, I’m not sure that cruises will begin again very quickly, given the public sentiment and lack of trust right now - especially as it’s played out in the Australian media. Maybe RCI, versus Carnival (Princess) *may* be received a tad better, who knows... I anticipate that the borders to Australia and NZ will re-open selectively; with citizens of countries that still have active outbreaks (as well as others who have recently been) being kept out indefinitely. That could simply take the form of a more blanket regional moratorium, such as the EU or the Americas, for example. You may have UK citizens allowed in before Americans or Canadians - depending on the future conditions for how these countries have managed their outbreak and subsequent “flare-ups”.

You are quite correct @AshleyDillo, changing the PVSA won’t happen easily. If I use the term “cabotage” - applicable to both cargo and passengers - it just goes over people’s heads, and almost nobody knows what PVSA is about.

You have a solid grasp of what the challenges to flying will be like in the coming months. Unfortunately, the FCC system is going to place some people in the difficult position of trying to figure how the “how to get there” after the fact, having rebooked their cruises for 2021 or seeing really good prices for cruises in Europe for next year.

Yes, and twice on this thread I have mentioned that this would need to be done in order to maybe sail Alaska this season.

The correct answer is that no one will have any idea. It’s impossible to say who will fly, with what routes, and under what conditions in 2021. No matter what any one of us has managed in the past when it comes to flights - it will not apply to future flights. I’ve read of industry people (like the CEO of Boeing) anticipate that we will not likely see a new normal for air travel until 2023. Here are my best educated guesses for international air travel in 2021: - Social distancing will still be an enforced norm in 2021 when traveling by air and transiting through airports. - There will be fewer flights available in general, and even more ‘hub and spoke’ routings (both domestic and international.) - Some airlines will not survive the downturn in air travel (that will be even more severe than post 9/11.) - The price of flights will likely be higher that in the recent past. I anticipate that we shall see more taxes/surcharges and fees added to base fares. - For international travel, be prepared to not only check on visa requirements, but also health requirements, which may be in place in order to enter countries to be visited. - For several science-based reasons, combined with ‘grey market’ opportunism, I really don’t see “immunity passports” as a reliable option that would be widely adopted - so don’t pin hopes on these, even though the idea is being banted about. If anyone else wants to try their best guesses, we could turn this into an interesting discussion, as several of us would like to return to Europe next year.

You can set up a news article search alert by topic with Google - that way you would be notified of any new published article. However, you still have the Jones Act (cabotage rules) that will make most Alaska cruise itineraries impossible for this season, unless it’s amended in time. Even if RCI can base one ship to cruise Alaska round-trip from an Alaskan port base, I don’t see that happening either. I’ll be brutally honest here: the more that we see our neighbours to the South blithely rush to new outbreaks, our own Canadian borders/waters/ports will not be so quick to reopen to you as tourists. Canadians have worked very hard, and sacrificed much, to flatten the curve. The majority of us do not want to see quarantine-free travel to resume soon. Our politicians are listening to our experts and to us. We’re just not yet ready to welcome you back, even though we like you.

Don’t be so quick to assume that Canada will be rescinding travel restrictions to the point of allowing cruises and/or quarantine-free travel by the end of summer - that will not happen.

Apart from the State of Alaska’s own measures (now, and/or in the near future to curb a possible second wave), there is also the issue of Canada likely extending the ban on cruise ships in Canadian ports beyond July 1st. So unless the U.S. relaxes its own rules on “cabotage” (Jones Act/PVSA), this would also nix most cruise itineraries to/from Alaska.

Thorough video article that illustrates how just one ship, the Costa Luminosa, had a wide-ranging impact on the Caribbean islands that it visited: https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/world/cruise-ships-kept-sailing-in-the-caribbean-even-as-signs-of-sickness-spread/2020/04/25/a2fb8768-b6db-4d02-82b2-44dff19a61da_video.html I can imagine having more waves of infection spread almost just as easily, but the next times with passengers residing in ‘hotspot’ clusters, or who had gone through Vegas... and/or consider themselves “immune”.

Interesting concept.

Yep, thanks for illustrating my point.

Nope. There *will be* public opposition to allowing cruise ships in Canadian waters for the 2020 season for sure! Especially when too many of our neighbours to the South are so blithely oblivious about acting responsibly towards their own communities. ? The “give me liberty and give me death” crowd will definitely be ruining it for the majority, for a while to come.

Greed and “market demand” will ensure that cruises start again, at least before the end of 2020. However, I do foresee several ports deciding to go NIMBY and keep ships out though. I definitely wouldn’t think of booking any future cruise now based on a “set” itinerary...

As long as they can’t get better accuracy with the results... who can trust a 30% rate of false negatives??

With the CDC’s “No Sail Order” for another 100 days, how does that play out? Are cruise lines just going to ignore it, treating it merely as a ‘suggestion’? Is the scheduling/cancelling of near-future cruises a pawn in the cruise lines’ $$$ bail out talks?

Isn’t there now an extension of the ban on cruise ships in U.S. waters for another 100 days? As a Canadian, I’m dismayed at States, institutions and people who do not see the value of social distancing and continue to downplay the extent and severity of the illness that Covid-19 causes for people of all age ranges. This virus will continue to flare up in communities for weeks and months to come, without a concerted effort to control it. I, for one, do not want to see any Alaska-bound or ‘Fall foliage’ cruises make ports of call in Canadian waters this Summer and Fall. Canadians are sacrificing much to try to control this virus, and we do don’t believe, as a society, that it’s “OK” for some of us to get sick and die in order for a majority to exercise their “liberties” and “entitled privileges”, esp. regarding unnecessary travel. This is neither an “anti-American” nor “anti-tourist” sentiment, but rather a call to not be selfish. Re-work your plans and book for 2021.

Correct. For example, several ships left Sydney a few days ago, after loading supplies and shuffling crew (under police supervision.) Each of those ships is headed to different ports to return crew members to their home countries. At least a couple of the RCI-owned ships (across the brands) are currently headed to Manila. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-04/nsw-police-largest-maritime-operation-over-cruise-coronavirus/12122030

Quick questions: I noticed in one of your pics a jet ski in the corner... are they allowed near the area where the OWC guests would be swimming or snorkeling? Did you see any jet skis in the waters around the Beach Club? I also noticed in another pic that there were a couple steps along the wooden walkway going down towards the beach shower. Did you notice any ramps and how much of the wooden walkways would make the Beach Club accessible, or difficult, for someone with limited mobility? Thanks! *jetski is in left-hand end of the frame.

It may not be opened until closer to the end of the month, if on schedule... i’m also waiting to see opinions and reviews about people’s experiences there posted as well.

Pack them in an egg carton, with a bit of tape. The problem with my suitcase is weight, not volume, so there’s extra room.

All good and reputable cetacean facilities do not do dorsal fin tows for tourists.

All cruise lines need to “man up” and make the corporate decision to ban smoking in all public venues on their ships. They need to view it as a duty to protect their employees’ health, at minimum.

Canada’s casinos are non-smoking by law (all provinces and territories by now, I think.) The casinos near where I live are just as busy as ever - packed actually, all the time. 13-14 years ago, when this all came into force, many tourists on a popular trip forums website huffed and puffed and said “buh bye, Canada, won’t be back and spend another dime in your casinos”. We said “buh bye” back, and they were replaced by others.