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None the wiser


Mike.s

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https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/02/22/royal-caribbean-group-lost-over-58-billion-2020

So following todays announcement to the markets we are none the wiser as when cruises will start again.

Seeing as the CDC is dragging it's feet I'm surprised that RC hasn't given some thought into following some of the Carnival brands and starting cruises round the Med or to the Canary Isles here in Europe.

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17 minutes ago, Mike.s said:

 I'm surprised that RC hasn't given some thought into following some of the Carnival brands and starting cruises round the Med or to the Canary Isles here in Europe.

This rather surprises me as well.  Of course, Royal has a great success going in Singapore with Quantum and one would think that they would be trying to get another such local cruise scenario going, elsewhere.

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1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

 

This rather surprises me as well.  Of course, Royal has a great success going in Singapore with Quantum and one would think that they would be trying to get another such local cruise scenario going, elsewhere.

Which many, beside me, would like to know, why is RCG dragging their feet in other markets when sailings have been successful in other markets??

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15 minutes ago, princevaliantus said:

Which many, beside me, would like to know, why is RCG dragging their feet in other markets when sailings have been successful in other markets??

Get ready for a long winded response to this statement from this board !!!!!   LOL   Gonna leave it at that, as I am sure many will chime in!

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35 minutes ago, emmef said:

Why, @twangster why so optimistic?  What do you know that the rest of us don't???

I've received an update to my programming.  

We've all grown accustomed to yet another round of bad news, more cancellations, etc. that it's hard to believe the light at the end of tunnel is actually a light and it's getting brighter... and no it's not a train about to slam into us.

There will be more cancellations simply because the entire fleet won't start sailing on May 1st so don't confuse my optimism as a suggestion of only good news from now on.  There will be small setbacks and cancellations for some cruises coming.

If you close your eyes and squint ever so slightly there are signs that we are moving in the right direction.  It won't be overnight and it will take time.

I have lifted my "don't book any more cruises" policy and I am now booking cruises to hedge my bet.  Some are refundable and most are short cruises initially.  I am picking ships carefully, buying the dining package and drink package knowing lounges may be unavailable.  I'm spacing cruises out to ensure more than two weeks between them but I can already smell the Playmakers Burger that's on its way to my seat at the bar. 

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Could be something to do with the CDC expected to come out with something soon(any day now) according to Richard Fain......and it sounds like it may ne an actual step by step or concrete plan towards opening up cruising.

 

I would also think that the success of the vaccine roll-out in the US is making things look much much better towards things starting to open up for travel related isues.

 

Shares of Royal are up over 25% in the past  week or so  as well.

 

All positive things for sure.

 

 

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Things that caught my ear on the call:

  • 35,000 guests have sailed on Quantum since she started December cruises
    • This includes more "new to cruise' over expectations.  Some 80% of Singapore cruises are being booked by new to Royal.
  • When a buyer for Empress and Majesty was identified the question about Cuba was asked.   They believe there are ships in the fleet that could sail into Havana if Cuba becomes available again.
  • A survey of past crew last week indicated a strong desire to return for the overwhelming majority and that 4,000 of around 70,000+ crew have already been vaccinated against COVID-19.
  • When Grandeur was opened for bookings in Barbados they achieved a 25% load factor within the first few weeks.

Plus consider Odyssey will soon join the fleet right when cruises in Europe may be allowed to restart for her.  That has the potential to be great fantastic timing.  

Most importantly 35,000 guests have sailed Quantum without a single positive case.  The protocols work.  Even the CDC has to be impressed by that.  

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I agree with @twangster in his assessment. There is a lot of positive change coming, and I think we are on the precipice of many promises finally coming our way.

The rollout of the vaccine, plummeting cases, very good news about its efficacy, and imminent information from the CDC for cruise lines all point to ships being able to sail again.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I will be on a cruise ship as a paying guest by the end of 2021.

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2 hours ago, twangster said:

Things that caught my ear on the call:

  • 35,000 guests have sailed on Quantum since she started December cruises
    • This includes more "new to cruise' over expectations.  Some 80% of Singapore cruises are being booked by new to Royal.
  • When a buyer for Empress and Majesty was identified the question about Cuba was asked.   They believe there are ships in the fleet that could sail into Havana if Cuba becomes available again.
  • A survey of past crew last week indicated a strong desire to return for the overwhelming majority and that 4,000 of around 70,000+ crew have already been vaccinated against COVID-19.
  • When Grandeur was opened for bookings in Barbados they achieved a 25% load factor within the first few weeks.

Plus consider Odyssey will soon join the fleet right when cruises in Europe may be allowed to restart for her.  That has the potential to be great fantastic timing.  

Most importantly 35,000 guests have sailed Quantum without a single positive case.  The protocols work.  Even the CDC has to be impressed by that.  

The protocols work in Singapore where there is no Covid. Like giving birth control to an island of only women and saying it worked because no one fell pregnant.

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12 minutes ago, bretts173 said:

The protocols work in Singapore where there is no Covid. Like giving birth control to an island of only women and saying it worked because no one fell pregnant.

By Royal Caribbean's own admission, protocols arent as important as before. Vaccine is king, and that's going to be the difference maker in the world

Royal Caribbean Chairman CEO says vaccines, not new protocols, will be what gets cruises going again

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The vaccine rollouts in the coming months will largely determine the timing of cruise restarts.

Given that case numbers and infection rates are dropping significantly, it just remains for the vaccine numbers to reach a tipping point to speed up herd immunity. I can see where we could easily start sailing by early summer (perhaps sooner), particularly for guests choosing to get vaccinated.

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Singapore is not COVID free.  They haven't eliminated COVID.  There are new cases in Singapore everyday.  Eleven new cases were announced today.  There is no community spread from these cases because they are being caught as they enter the country and isolated.   They are caught because of mandatory testing upon arriving.

Despite the newly imported cases that have been occurring regularly since December in Singapore, there remains no cases on Quantum.  Cruising in Singapore has occurred absent of a vaccine since vaccines just recently started entering the picture.

Protocols plus a vaccine will make everything so much safer.  As more vaccine is administered the overall risk of an outbreak decreases everyday.  The number of vaccines administered today will be dwarfed by the numbers by May 1st.   

A positive case may still occur once cruising restarts just like Singapore is detecting new cases entering the country everyday. 

Here in the US if a positive person doesn't book a cruise and just goes about their routine they will be spreading the virus everywhere they go.   On land there are no procedures to detect and isolate anyone who doesn't decide to go and get tested.  They will continue to be a risk to the community unless they have a reason to get tested.

Cruising will be that reason to get tested for anyone going on a cruise.  If that same person books a cruise they will need to get tested.  Ideally they test positive before going to the port but if they slip through the cracks and on board is where it's detected that they are positive that is actually helping society overall because they are isolated and contained.  That would never happen if they were back on land going about their weekly routine.  

Every positive person who is detected because they are about to go on a cruise, or every person who is detected once on board lowers the risk for society in general.  In this regard cruising will help reduce community spread because guests will be monitored and isolated if required just like community spread has been lowered in Singapore where positive cases are caught upon arriving.  

When you combine the vaccine with the protocols it is safe to resume cruising and it gets safer every day with more vaccines getting into more arms every day.

It's coming folks.  Cruises will be able to restart soon.

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5 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

That has been my plan since March 2020 lol.

Problem is that now I am booking refundable land vacations in case the cruises don't sail so confusion is a real problem these days! ?

Confusion for sure! I know my may symphony will be cancelled so now looking at moving my deposit to October. We have odyssey in October out of Rome, but that’s iffy so moving symphony to October gives us a backup plan. We’d move odyssey to 2022. Even if she sails, that’s a huge trip to not be able to explore on our own. We’d cancel before final. 
 

My head hurts lol 
 

 

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4 hours ago, gabeb848 said:

I love just reading this board, so interesting!?

That is true. I always read and don’t comment a lot so it’s interesting to see where people come down on the sides of COVID  issues. I know my cruising days are over for awhile and have had three cruises cancelled thus far so my thirst for cruising has diminished. Hopefully that will change in the future but it will probably be years.
 

I have to wear a mask all day at work, because that’s where my livelihood comes from, but wearing a mask on a cruise that I pay dearly for is not going to happen. I’ve already made plans to go to the SC beach’s for the next couple of years until this craziness has subsided. We shall see. 

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22 hours ago, Mike.s said:

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/02/22/royal-caribbean-group-lost-over-58-billion-2020

So following todays announcement to the markets we are none the wiser as when cruises will start again.

Seeing as the CDC is dragging it's feet I'm surprised that RC hasn't given some thought into following some of the Carnival brands and starting cruises round the Med or to the Canary Isles here in Europe.

Think they're sailing TUI in the Canary Islands (which is partially owned by RCG).  Agree, don't seem to be very aggressive on work arounds.   The Barbados porting is a step in the right direction to help with Carribean region, but only 1 ship.

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