Tracking Cruising Restart: News and Updates

[Intr3pid]

In the mean time Princess Australia has canceled all cruises through end of May 2021.

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-r...ruises-announces-extension-pause-operations-0

That's a tough one. Australian school holidays run from the third week of December to the end of January. If seasonal cruise lines aren't going to sail in those dates, it doesn't make sense to bring the ships over for a couple of soft-demand months and then have to re-position again.

Different story for P&O and Carnival though -- as they have ships permanently home ported in Australia.

 

[Intr3pid]

Well NCL has an earnings call tmw so maybe they’ll have so insight on rather they can resume

Not NCL, RCL does. But it's important all the same. I might try to tune into their webcast.

 

[Intr3pid]

So, who's up for some volunteer work?

https://people.com/travel/cruise-lines-volunteers-mock-voyages/

 

[Intr3pid]

So, who's up for some volunteer work?

https://people.com/travel/cruise-lines-volunteers-mock-voyages/

Looks like a LOT of people.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/...-want-volunteer-royal-caribbean-trial-cruises

 

[pumpkinqueen93]

So, who's up for some volunteer work?

https://people.com/travel/cruise-lines-volunteers-mock-voyages/

I wouldn't mind volunteering

 

[Intr3pid]

OK, so the first Caribbean cruise coming up on Nov 7.

SeaDream Yacht Club, admittedly a niche 100-guest offering, will sail out of Barbados starting November 2020. Quite a few differences from the other restarts:

1. The ship will cruise out of Barbados on 7-day itineraries. US guests welcome.

2. One PCR test needed within 48 to 72 hours before boarding. A possible second test at the airport. Then, they have the Abbott's test set up for the day of boarding. So, up to three tests!

3. No marks required on board.

4. They are looking to use some of Apple's tech for contact tracing. Might mean using Apple watches.

5. And this one is the opinion of its CEO, Atle Brynestad:

"Come November, I believe there's going to be a big change from the CDC for the US ports," Brynestad opined.

More reading:
https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/shi...eam-i-begin-season-barbados-round-trips-nov-7

Looks like the SeaDream Yacht is now sailing out of Barbados. They aren't touching any US ports and are a smaller boat. No masks required on board; testing is more stringent.

There aren't any balconies, and their staterooms start at USD 3,000pp based on double occupancy (plus taxes) for a 7-night voyage.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/first-caribbean-cruise-seadream-boarding-process/

 

[Intr3pid]

NCL is targeting January for their trial runs. This means they might be ready by February with at least a couple of ships.

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Norwegian-Cruise-Line-January-test-sailings

 

[Intr3pid]

^^^
Interesting quote from their CEO:

"I look at 2021 as a transition year," he said. "I believe we will have our entire fleet up and running sometime in latter half of '21 so that 2022 becomes the first year since 2019 that we can operate the entire fleet for the full year. 2022 is the road to normalization, and 2023 is normalization."

 

[MrWhizzard]

Looks like the SeaDream Yacht is now sailing out of Barbados. They aren't touching any US ports and are a smaller boat. No masks required on board; testing is more stringent.

Well, that didn't take long... looks like one of the passengers tested positive for COVID during the cruise:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/caribbean-cruise-covid-scare-seadream/

During his address to passengers, Lund said the results of the test that came back positive, a rapid test, were “preliminary” but the vessel was working under the assumption that it had one or more COVID patients on board.

He said the passenger who was tested had felt ill before the test.

 

[starvenger]

Royal Caribbean has a sign-up list for anyone wanting to volunteer. Matt @ the RC Blog has some details.

I know, for a lot of you, you'd rather sail DCL, but I also know that you aren't likely to turn down a free cruise if offered.

 

[bcwife76]

Royal Caribbean has a sign-up list for anyone wanting to volunteer. Matt @ the RC Blog has some details.

I know, for a lot of you, you'd rather sail DCL, but I also know that you aren't likely to turn down a free cruise if offered.

Worth noting this is for 18yrs and over, no kids.

 

[bcwife76]

Several cruise brands including Carnival (Princess and HAL included in that) and RCL and I think even NCL, have taken off cruises that are 8+ nights and originate in US ports off their website (not canceling them but just making sure no one else books them at the moment). DCL has yet to follow suit but I'm sure they will.

 

[NC State]

Well, that didn't take long... looks like one of the passengers tested positive for COVID during the cruise:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/caribbean-cruise-covid-scare-seadream/

Now it's up to 6 people with it.

 

[Intr3pid]

Several cruise brands including Carnival (Princess and HAL included in that) and RCL and I think even NCL, have taken off cruises that are 8+ nights and originate in US ports off their website (not canceling them but just making sure no one else books them at the moment). DCL has yet to follow suit but I'm sure they will.

And the issue with the remaining bookings is that there is no certainty they will remain in their current date and itinerary slots.

Beyond removing some of the longer sailings, cruise lines may have to do embarkation and debarkation on separate days, which will throw a lot of dates off the sequence. Or, they may take a day off the sailing and they you have to wonder whether you agreed to a fare too soon.

 

[Intr3pid]

NCL is teasing their return with a preview of the 'Choir of Man' show:

https://nclembark.com/?intcmp=other_sl_EMBARK

 

[Bjn10]

Dream heading home

 

[Intr3pid]

Italy is prohibiting travel between its regions over the December holidays. In particular, they want everyone to stay in their home towns on the Christmas and the New Year.

Both MSC and Costa have paused their operations for the two weeks:

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ship-operations/msc-cruises-cancels-seasonal-holiday-cruises-italy
https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ship-operations/costa-goes-along-italys-holiday-travel-hiatus

 

[bbel]

Quantum is back

 

[AquaDame]

Quantum is back

View attachment 542454

View attachment 542455

Exclusive to residents of Singapore... guess we'll have to keep waiting.

 

[Intr3pid]

NCL thinks they may start in Europe before they do in the US. This may be a very real possibility for Magic as well:

https://crew-center.com/ncl-could-start-cruise-operations-europe-sailing-us