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Finally optimistic, anyone else?


RCIfan1912

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I know we have all been at points "optimistic" about cruises restarting. I don't think any of us thought it would last this long but I feel things are finally starting to turn. Its gonna be a bit longer but I feel we are moving, slowly moving in the right direction and cruises will start. I'd say some time in the summer, July/August. Of course that doesn't mean all our cruises will sail off. I'm pretty sure my August Oasis cruise is still in trouble even with my optimism. Anyone else getting a hint, just hint of optimism about cruises finally?

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I've been so optimistic for so long....we're scheduled for 8/1 on Allure and I may just literally die if it gets cancelled.

One thing that I'm concerned about is whether we will be able to go into port on our own.  I'm doubtful, but hoping 

that at least in the closed-off area we'll be able to.

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I was very optimistic heading into the fall . I saw and heard things to make me think it was gonna open. The COVID numbers soared and the cancellations continued. The numbers are coming back down earlier than last year so maybe this is "it".  I should be barding next week then again later in the month wont happen but I have one in November I'm counting on... 

 

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5 hours ago, Matt said:

After Monday's earnings call, my optimism is even higher.

 

3 hours ago, Va4fam said:

I'm cautiously optimistic that I will make my end of Sept and Oct. cruises this year, not so much for my 11 day cruise in January.   Gotta get this show on the road before this drags on much longer.  

 

Same here, now have 14 cruises booked up to the end of 2022, can't wait.

?️?  John

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I only have Harmony out of Barcelona at the end of September currently booked and looking at it logically I would think there is a reasonably good chance it could sail:

- Harmony HAS to come over to this side of the pond for her dry dock, so she will be in position 

- As an Oasis-class ship, she is one of the ones with a break even point of 30% capacity, which should be possible to achieve even with only European cruisers 

- Her western Med itinerary encompasses mostly ports in two countries that are very keen to get their tourism industry up and running again (Spain and Italy)

- Italy already has cruises operating  (MSC), so the Italian government already has a process in place and operational for cruises 

- Even with the slow pace of the vaccine roll out here in Europe, a LOT of people will have been vaccinated, making it easier for countries to open up

All of that said, I am finding it very difficult to be enthusiastic about this cruise. A huge part of my cruising enjoyment comes from the pre-cruise planning and it's hard to do any of that when there's a little voice in the back of your head casting doubt on whether the cruise will sail and whether I actually WANT to sail, given the restrictions that will necessarily be in place. And then there's the question of whether vaccination will be a requirement to sail; there is a decent chance that the other 3 people travelling with me will have been vaccinated by the time our cruise sails but as I am lower down the pecking list than them, there is an equally good chance that I won't have been.

So it's a huge mixture of optimism and pessimism for me. Anyway, final payment isn't due until mid-June and we have refundable deposits, so we will reassess in the days before final and potentially move to something farther out. We have a big bucket list that's been on hold since this time last year!

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2 hours ago, Ray said:

There are still a lot of issues to resolve so way i see it, it will happen when it happens. 

yes the sooner the better but no one wants short cuts to be taken when peoples safety is the priorty

Not only that but we don't want to see short cuts and the industry gets shut down again. No offense to anyone but I really hope vaccines are required and capacity is limited also because I really don't want to be on a ship that has a breakout and is on the news and then it's a hassle coming back to the US. I also hope by the time I still we don't have to quarantine for 2 weeks. I don't want to have to blow 10 sick days. Still a lot of questions in the air. 

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Without the vaccine, I wasn't very optimistic (especially as time went on).  Even Quantum is playing Russian Roulette hoping they will avoid a case with just protocols.

But with the vaccine, I have hope.  I think it will take time, but they will start up again... and it may be awhile before cruising is back to normal.  

It's not just the ship, but the ports the ship is visiting, travelling to the port, etc and borders opening, vaccine availability and approval (kids).  Slowly, we'll see things lifted and things getting back.

Am up in the air.  Really want to book for 2023 but it's all dependent on what happens in 2022 (i.e. will we miss our booked cruise too and is summer / xmas out too).  So many unknowns.

 

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I was optimistic in March, at this point I am adopting the "I will believe it when I see it approach" .. not for the cruise lines, I think they have done everything they needed to and should have been sailing months ago but for the government that still has to figure out how to get out of the way to allow cruises to resume.

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I became optimistic when the first vaccine was rolled out. I'll be in the last group for a shot, hopefully I will be fully vaccinated by August 1 so I can set sail for my Labor Day cruise.

I don't see any reason why this would not happen. As I write this, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is about to be approved and that will be three vaccines approved for emergency use in the U.S. AstraZeneca has been approved in Canada and it will likely be approved in the U.S. as well. That's four vaccines.

Then it's just a matter of logistics and the race against possible virus mutations that can beat the vaccines.

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3 hours ago, RCIfan1912 said:

. No offense to anyone but I really hope vaccines are required 

I agree but didnt mention it due to the fact any time requiring vaccines, wearing masks or social distancing are mentioned it starts the old " im not getting a vaccine or wearing a mask" debate or my other favourite " i may as well stay at home if i have to do that" 

As i said previously what will be will be and we either follow the rules and get on with things best we can or we stay at home 

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36 minutes ago, Ray said:

I agree but didnt mention it due to the fact any time requiring vaccines, wearing masks or social distancing are mentioned it starts the old " im not getting a vaccine or wearing a mask" debate or my other favourite " i may as well stay at home if i have to do that" 

As i said previously what will be will be and we either follow the rules and get on with things best we can or we stay at home 

Well if people do not want to be apart of a responsible society they can sit home without their masks. If they don't want the vaccine they can sit home and not cruise or vacation. That's the simply answer to those people. 

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3 hours ago, WannaCruise said:

Really want to book for 2023 but it's all dependent on what happens in 2022

I see it differently.  Ever since they announced that FCC were stackable, I've been booking as I please.  We have tons of small deposits as place holders (which I was worried about before) and if those sailings don't sail, I can just dump it all in the ones that finally sail.  At the moment, I have 5 sailings left in 2021, I've booked into 2022 with 4 now, and about to book another in March 2023 as soon as they release those itineraries. 

For me personally, waiting serves zero purpose.  The cabins that I like will be gone and the price (which already high to start) may or may not jump even higher.  I am realistic in the fact that I live in Canada and our vaccine rollout is not as efficient as the US right now.  I am also realistic about our border situation.  But my strategy at this point is to not be too invested in any of my upcoming sailings, cancel them (or let Royal cancel) as they come up, and hop on the first one possible in the ones that I have booked.  That and book refundable land vacations here in Canada for the summer as a Plan B. ?

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6 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I see it differently.  Ever since they announced that FCC were stackable, I've been booking as I please

Suite snobs think alike.  I am feeling the same way since they allowed the FCC's to be stacked.  I really see no reason to hold back, now that I don't have to worry about what to do with FCC's if I change my mind.  We might as well take advantage of the rules while they apply.  There's really no danger, even when booking full suites, as long as they are still eligible for CWC.

 

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7 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I really see no reason to hold back, now that I don't have to worry about what to do with FCC's if I change my mind.  We might as well take advantage of the rules while they apply.  There's really no danger, even when booking full suites, as long as they are still eligible for CWC.

Exactly!  It's actually more freedom in booking than before because before you would be dinged with the $100pp change fee, now with CWC, like you said, no real danger.  Other than losing track of your bookings. ?

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14 hours ago, joshgates said:

Yup, I started booking some shorter ones on Navigator and Mariner for later this summer and fall.  Those studio interiors on Mariner are just dirt cheap right now, hard to pass up even with the cost of a flight.  More optimistic than I’ve been in a year.

Josh.. We booked Mariner for an 8 nighter on August 13 2022

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16 minutes ago, sk8erguy1978 said:

I am cautiously optimistic about late Q3 early Q4 (September / October). If things get moving soon it's possible. We know another round of cancellations are coming with Carnival and NCL announcements. I am not optimistic about my September cruise on Oasis.

We have a November cruise booked for Oasis -  fingers crossed the world is healthy by then.

 

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2 hours ago, RCIfan1912 said:

Well if people do not want to be apart of a responsible society they can sit home without their masks. If they don't want the vaccine they can sit home and not cruise or vacation. That's the simply answer to those people. 

 

2 hours ago, Ray said:

I agree but didnt mention it due to the fact any time requiring vaccines, wearing masks or social distancing are mentioned it starts the old " im not getting a vaccine or wearing a mask" debate or my other favourite " i may as well stay at home if i have to do that" 

As i said previously what will be will be and we either follow the rules and get on with things best we can or we stay at home 

RCL will require vaccines for all employees.  The captains are almost always from Europe so they have access to the vaccine.  For the rest of the staff, RCL may have to purchase their own supply for the balance of the employees, if there is any real chance of cruising any time in the near future. For example the Philippines is supposed to receive there FIRST shipment of vaccine on Monday 3/1.  Saga cruises (50y/o +) will requires everyone to be vaccinated 14-days prior to sailing, although most of the vaccine companies seem to represent that the vaccines are fully effective 28 days after last dose.  The way I look at it, if my next ship is not staffed 14-28 days prior to embarkation - its probably going to be canceled. Many experienced staff may not come back which may delay a full restart. 

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8 hours ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I see it differently.  Ever since they announced that FCC were stackable, I've been booking as I please.  We have tons of small deposits as place holders (which I was worried about before) and if those sailings don't sail, I can just dump it all in the ones that finally sail.  At the moment, I have 5 sailings left in 2021, I've booked into 2022 with 4 now, and about to book another in March 2023 as soon as they release those itineraries. 

For me personally, waiting serves zero purpose.  The cabins that I like will be gone and the price (which already high to start) may or may not jump even higher.  I am realistic in the fact that I live in Canada and our vaccine rollout is not as efficient as the US right now.  I am also realistic about our border situation.  But my strategy at this point is to not be too invested in any of my upcoming sailings, cancel them (or let Royal cancel) as they come up, and hop on the first one possible in the ones that I have booked.  That and book refundable land vacations here in Canada for the summer as a Plan B. ?

That is such a great change that Royal made so makes sense.  The main problem I see for us, is that they will expire before we can use them (we even have one from before covid to use but it expires end of Dec 2021).  But I guess if you apply them and then cancel, the timer starts again for 1 year out from when you cancel so sounds like a good plan.

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12 minutes ago, WannaCruise said:

That is such a great change that Royal made so makes sense.  The main problem I see for us, is that they will expire before we can use them (we even have one from before covid to use but it expires end of Dec 2021).  But I guess if you apply them and then cancel, the timer starts again for 1 year out from when you cancel so sounds like a good plan.

Are you factoring in the extension to the FCCs (until September 2022)?  If they don’t start sailing soon, they might even push that back more. 
But yes, you can always cancel and then you have one year out even if they don’t extend them.

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I am optimistic enough to start looking at booking something for later in the year, I have vacation the last week of September until the second week of October and am thinking about taking a 7 day cruise either one of those weeks.  The more I think about doing it, the more I find myself daydreaming about the first day onboard, the sights, smells, and sounds of being onboard a ship again!  I know I may be setting myself up for a letdown but I do not believe so! Things should be up and rolling by that time and yes my fingers, toes, and arms are crossed!!!?

 

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7 hours ago, esmoov said:

 

RCL will require vaccines for all employees.  The captains are almost always from Europe so they have access to the vaccine.  For the rest of the staff, RCL may have to purchase their own supply for the balance of the employees, if there is any real chance of cruising any time in the near future. For example the Philippines is supposed to receive there FIRST shipment of vaccine on Monday 3/1.  Saga cruises (50y/o +) will requires everyone to be vaccinated 14-days prior to sailing, although most of the vaccine companies seem to represent that the vaccines are fully effective 28 days after last dose.  The way I look at it, if my next ship is not staffed 14-28 days prior to embarkation - its probably going to be canceled. Many experienced staff may not come back which may delay a full restart. 

Would RC or any other private company be allowed to purchase vaccine before it is issued to those in need and at risk? 

I know a company in the UK tried it and got rejected, actually they got slaughtered in the press for even thinking it.

With regards PH most crew are young and healthy so they wont be top of the list for vaccine, and crews not just for RC come from many countries and every cruiseline will be in the same boat so to speak, Also there are over 7000 islands making up the Philippines so getting what vaccine they receive out to these places will take time. And lets not forget that in many so called 3rd world countries bribery and corruption is commonplace at the highest level so whos to say vaccines won't be sold on the black market? 

Getting crew to ship once they finally receive their vaccine will be another issue,  having to deal with whether countries are open what their quarantine regulations are etc

Then you have all the ports of call, where will cruiselines be able to sail to thats actually open to visitors

As mentioned in my 1st post there are so many issues still to be resolved , what will be will be, just got to take each day as it comes because constantly talking, studying or worrying about covid is depressing and in all honesty the constant talk of it probably causes more issues in relation to peoples health and wellbeing than covid would. 

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