What’s next for Wonder and Magic?

[mom4fun]

Anyone have insider information, thoughts or opinions? Will the Wonder make the trek through the canal without passengers or scrap all of the west coast cruises? Will Magic come back or just stay in Europe and eliminate the Miami cruises?

 

[BadPinkTink]

Anyone have insider information, thoughts or opinions? Will the Wonder make the trek through the canal without passengers or scrap all of the west coast cruises? Will Magic come back or just stay in Europe and eliminate the Miami cruises?

My guess is that The Magic will stay in Europe and that the first cruise will be the May 22 sailing from Barcelona. Keeping The Magic in Europe means that Disney does not have to go through the American CDC certification process, as the American CDC does not have jurisdiction in Europe. DCL can just do all the recommendations and updates on The Magic and then re start sailing in Europe, even if cruising in America for the other 3 ships has not restarted.

 

[truck1]

They could also be holding the Magic in Europe to ferry crew members from Europe and Asia back to the Dream class and Wonder. Logistically it could be easier to fly them to England or other Port in Europe, and sail them to Fl and bypass the red tape of flying them directly to Fl. Assuming that flights are even available from certain countries.

 

[braysmommy]

I think the Magic will stay in Europe and the Wonder will do cruises out of Miami if possible.

 

[MN Dis Fans]

They could also be holding the Magic in Europe to ferry crew members from Europe and Asia back to the Dream class and Wonder. Logistically it could be easier to fly them to England or other Port in Europe, and sail them to Fl and bypass the red tape of flying them directly to Fl. Assuming that flights are even available from certain countries.

That's what I am kind of hoping as well! The DW & I are booked B to B to B starting with the EBTA on May 9th. I work in North Africa and have been flying through this whole pandemic, and it's been much easier flying through London than anywhere else in Europe. The States are still locked down, so would be very difficult to fly the CM's into the U.S.

 

[BadPinkTink]

That's what I am kind of hoping as well! The DW & I are booked B to B to B starting with the EBTA on May 9th. I work in North Africa and have been flying through this whole pandemic, and it's been much easier flying through London than anywhere else in Europe. The States are still locked down, so would be very difficult to fly the CM's into the U.S.

I wouldn't hold up much hope for the EBTA as the CDC have started no cruise longer than 7 nights into or out of USA before October 2021. It will be cancelled for this reason.

 

[MN Dis Fans]

I wouldn't hold up much hope for the EBTA as the CDC have started no cruise longer than 7 nights into or out of USA before October 2021. It will be cancelled for this reason.

LOL, Agreed! It's just wishful thinking on my part. We've also got Norwegian Fjords / British Isles / WBTA booked as a backup, and the WBTA probably won't be going for the same reason, although I'm holding out hope that things will soon change for the better.

 

[BadPinkTink]

LOL, Agreed! It's just wishful thinking on my part. We've also got Norwegian Fjords / British Isles / WBTA booked as a backup, and the WBTA probably won't be going for the same reason, although I'm holding out hope that things will soon change for the better.

I'm on the September Norwegain Fjords cruise, I started the meet up thread in the cruise meet up section here on the Dis https://www.disboards.com/threads/d...fjords-from-dover-september-4th-2021.3803971/

 

[otten]

Anyone have insider information, thoughts or opinions? Will the Wonder make the trek through the canal without passengers or scrap all of the west coast cruises? Will Magic come back or just stay in Europe and eliminate the Miami cruises?

I really doubt the Wonder is going to go through the canal without assurance that Alaska season can happen. Highly unlikely that Canadian ports open anytime soon.

Right now in B.C we cannot gather with anyone we don’t live with. A vaccine is coming yes but I don’t think it will be fast enough to save summer cruises.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I don't see any point for DCL to take on the expense of an empty TA crossing given that the EBTA is not permitted at this stage, and I don't see that regulation easing up by May. Not with the major lines (Carnival, RCCL) not even sailing until well into March.

Wonder is hard to say. The WBPC is also not able to go with passengers, and the canal crossing is pricey even empty at a non-prime hour. (Lines pay extra for the fancy day crossing.) I think the Wonder is going to depend on if Vancouver opens up for cruise lines (still an open question).

I don't see California allowing home porting for the San Diego sailings. CDC is the minimum, but individual ports can say "no" even if CDC sailing requirements are met.

I also don't see DCL throwing together quicky, last-minute "sail on the Wonder from PC!" or another east coast port if the conditions don't support west coast operations. It's not Disney's way, above and beyond the logistics issues. DCL really is a rounding error in the WDC balance sheet, and I could very well see them leaving Wonder dark for a while.

 

[AquaDame]

I really doubt the Wonder is going to go through the canal without assurance that Alaska season can happen. Highly unlikely that Canadian ports open anytime soon.

Right now in B.C we cannot gather with anyone we don’t live with. A vaccine is coming yes but I don’t think it will be fast enough to save summer cruises.

This is my assumption as well... the Wonder won't go through the canal unless she can have a fairly normal Alaska season. With the timeline of the vaccine rollout and Canada's feelings on opening the ports without one I just don't see it happening for us.

 

[otten]

This is my assumption as well... the Wonder won't go through the canal unless she can have a fairly normal Alaska season. With the timeline of the vaccine rollout and Canada's feelings on opening the ports without one I just don't see it happening for us.

Yea there is little to no appetite within BC or Canada to reopen the border, let alone start allowing cruises again.

 

[Intr3pid]

They could also be holding the Magic in Europe to ferry crew members from Europe and Asia back to the Dream class and Wonder. Logistically it could be easier to fly them to England or other Port in Europe, and sail them to Fl and bypass the red tape of flying them directly to Fl. Assuming that flights are even available from certain countries.

Possibly. The crew contracts are for 6 to 8 months, so the other three should really take their own crew with them. (Magic's summer/spring season will have started before the next round.) Plus, under the new CSO, crew transfer between ships is going to be a headache once the ships are in US waters.

 

[Karin1984]

I am in the group Magic stays in Europe. And I think the Wonder might be the first to start testing, as it is a smaller ship, it needs less people to operate (I assume). If they can make it work with social distancing on the smaller ship, then they can do it on the bigger ships. Maybe the Wonder will replace the Magic on the Miami-routes for this.

 

[truck1]

Possibly. The crew contracts are for 6 to 8 months, so the other three should really take their own crew with them. (Magic's summer/spring season will have started before the next round.) Plus, under the new CSO, crew transfer between ships is going to be a headache once the ships are in US waters.

True. They could take their crews with them but the 2 unknowns is how many ship will Disney run with and when will they be able to run. Worst case scenario is that by Jan 1st CDC says no sail again. Which puts say 3000 crew in limbo again. They may wait until the last minute to gather crew.

 

[Intr3pid]

True. They could take their crews with them but the 2 unknowns is how many ship will Disney run with and when will they be able to run. Worst case scenario is that by Jan 1st CDC says no sail again. Which puts say 3000 crew in limbo again. They may wait until the last minute to gather crew.

Yup, the unknowns outnumber the knowns. At least until the trial runs since those runs have to be operated with full crew.

I can see them using Magic for crew accommodations in Europe. Quarantining new staff into hotels (and waiting) can get expensive.

 

[Majik]

From what I read recently in the Orlando Sentinel the Magic will be cruising from Miami late March and the Wonders first cruise with passengers will be from San Diego.

 

[PurplePencil]

Don’t know much about ships but it is safe/optimal to keep the Magic in Northern Europe with the potential of very cold weather?
Wouldn’t she be better of in the Med?

 

[BadPinkTink]

Don’t know much about ships but it is safe/optimal to keep the Magic in Northern Europe with the potential of very cold weather?
Wouldn’t she be better of in the Med?

The Magic is in Dover / The English Channel. While UK / Ireland / North France winters are cold and wet, that shipping lane does not stop. In fact that area of water between The UK and France is the busiest shipping lane in the world , with between 500 to 600 ship per day passing through it.

The water does not freeze, there are no icebergs or major snow storms. Ferries , both passenger and freight between Ireland/ UK / Northern France do not stop for the winter. Certain sailings may get cancelled for weather every so often, but there is a regular schedule. The Magic is quiet safe to winter in Dover harbor.

 

[MomOTwins]

From what I read recently in the Orlando Sentinel the Magic will be cruising from Miami late March and the Wonders first cruise with passengers will be from San Diego.

All they are doing is looking at the next cruise for each ship that has not been cancelled YET. Doesn’t mean those cruises will happen as DCL is only cancelling a couple months at a time.