Your Next Cruise: Are you Having Second Thoughts Due to Fears of Pandemic?
May 28, 2021, 6:55 am
#436
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: About 45 miles NW of MCO
Programs: Acapulco - Gold, Panama - Red, Timothy Leary 8 Mile High Club
Posts: 29,233
I don’t know how the impasse between the state (governor) of Florida and the Federal Government will be resolved. But it will have to be in order for ships to sail from our ports.
Regardless, I cannot convince my wife to step on another cruise ship. She was already uncomfortable with the close quarters, sketchy sanitation and large crowds in buffets, casinos, theaters and around the pool. There was always the potential for mass outbreaks of something, and plenty of stories of past events to make her wary. She seems convinced that the next pandemic or even the next common cold will manifest itself on a cruise ship. Somehow we made it through 5 past cruises with only one bad cold and nothing worse.
For now, I am sitting high and dry. And a little sad.
Regardless, I cannot convince my wife to step on another cruise ship. She was already uncomfortable with the close quarters, sketchy sanitation and large crowds in buffets, casinos, theaters and around the pool. There was always the potential for mass outbreaks of something, and plenty of stories of past events to make her wary. She seems convinced that the next pandemic or even the next common cold will manifest itself on a cruise ship. Somehow we made it through 5 past cruises with only one bad cold and nothing worse.
For now, I am sitting high and dry. And a little sad.
May 28, 2021, 9:13 am
#437
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: BA Gold, HH
Posts: 673
I don’t know how the impasse between the state (governor) of Florida and the Federal Government will be resolved. But it will have to be in order for ships to sail from our ports.
Regardless, I cannot convince my wife to step on another cruise ship. She was already uncomfortable with the close quarters, sketchy sanitation and large crowds in buffets, casinos, theaters and around the pool. There was always the potential for mass outbreaks of something, and plenty of stories of past events to make her wary. She seems convinced that the next pandemic or even the next common cold will manifest itself on a cruise ship. Somehow we made it through 5 past cruises with only one bad cold and nothing worse.
For now, I am sitting high and dry. And a little sad.
Regardless, I cannot convince my wife to step on another cruise ship. She was already uncomfortable with the close quarters, sketchy sanitation and large crowds in buffets, casinos, theaters and around the pool. There was always the potential for mass outbreaks of something, and plenty of stories of past events to make her wary. She seems convinced that the next pandemic or even the next common cold will manifest itself on a cruise ship. Somehow we made it through 5 past cruises with only one bad cold and nothing worse.
For now, I am sitting high and dry. And a little sad.
May 28, 2021, 10:22 am
#439
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,125
I don’t know how the impasse between the state (governor) of Florida and the Federal Government will be resolved. But it will have to be in order for ships to sail from our ports.
Regardless, I cannot convince my wife to step on another cruise ship. She was already uncomfortable with the close quarters, sketchy sanitation and large crowds in buffets, casinos, theaters and around the pool. There was always the potential for mass outbreaks of something, and plenty of stories of past events to make her wary. She seems convinced that the next pandemic or even the next common cold will manifest itself on a cruise ship. Somehow we made it through 5 past cruises with only one bad cold and nothing worse.
For now, I am sitting high and dry. And a little sad.
Regardless, I cannot convince my wife to step on another cruise ship. She was already uncomfortable with the close quarters, sketchy sanitation and large crowds in buffets, casinos, theaters and around the pool. There was always the potential for mass outbreaks of something, and plenty of stories of past events to make her wary. She seems convinced that the next pandemic or even the next common cold will manifest itself on a cruise ship. Somehow we made it through 5 past cruises with only one bad cold and nothing worse.
For now, I am sitting high and dry. And a little sad.
First, My wife and I refuse to be lab rats for the return to cruising experiment. We will let more adventurous folk see if cruises turn into Diamond Princesses. If and when positive experiences are widely reported, we will be back.
Second, If you sail on smaller ships, you won't be dealing with large crowds: Look into Seabourn, Silversea, and Viking, where ship sizes range from 450-900. Of course, these ships may be expensive. At this point in my life, I have more money than lives, so it seems like a good tradeoff.
May 28, 2021, 4:58 pm
#440
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: GRR
Programs: Delta Plat & Million Miler
Posts: 1,375
Me too
The very few times we have been at the buffet I usually saw someone taking a piece of food and then putting it back...Ugh!
May 28, 2021, 7:18 pm
#441
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: About 45 miles NW of MCO
Programs: Acapulco - Gold, Panama - Red, Timothy Leary 8 Mile High Club
Posts: 29,233
I have two thoughts about your situation:
First, My wife and I refuse to be lab rats for the return to cruising experiment. We will let more adventurous folk see if cruises turn into Diamond Princesses. If and when positive experiences are widely reported, we will be back.
Second, If you sail on smaller ships, you won't be dealing with large crowds: Look into Seabourn, Silversea, and Viking, where ship sizes range from 450-900. Of course, these ships may be expensive. At this point in my life, I have more money than lives, so it seems like a good tradeoff.
First, My wife and I refuse to be lab rats for the return to cruising experiment. We will let more adventurous folk see if cruises turn into Diamond Princesses. If and when positive experiences are widely reported, we will be back.
Second, If you sail on smaller ships, you won't be dealing with large crowds: Look into Seabourn, Silversea, and Viking, where ship sizes range from 450-900. Of course, these ships may be expensive. At this point in my life, I have more money than lives, so it seems like a good tradeoff.
I’m guessing it will take a couple of years without widely publicized shipboard disasters to get Mrs BV back on a ship. Or not. At least she’s agreed to get back on an aircraft and we’ve been dining out and staying in hotels since late February after our second shots. I should be satisfied with the cup half full.
May 28, 2021, 7:42 pm
#442
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,116
The cruise lines I've been watching are eliminating self-serve buffets, including self-serve drinks. All food and beverages will be served by crewmembers.
May 28, 2021, 8:57 pm
#443
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: GRR
Programs: Delta Plat & Million Miler
Posts: 1,375
May 28, 2021, 9:50 pm
#444
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,302
Cruiseplum.com helps filter by ship size, build year, price per day, and total trip price. There's also a large online travel agency which has an impressive search engine.
Maybe start researching island vacations? Not quite the same thing as a cruise but some people just like being near the water and most islands will have day trip options on small boats. Some people who like cruises also like all inclusive resorts.
Last edited by freecia; May 29, 2021 at 1:39 am Reason: pricing
May 29, 2021, 6:54 am
#445
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: About 45 miles NW of MCO
Programs: Acapulco - Gold, Panama - Red, Timothy Leary 8 Mile High Club
Posts: 29,233
Prices had gone up around April 2020 quite a bit on mass market lines. Have prices come down for new bookings? There's also a lot of OBC which cruisers have to use or lose. Some of the prices for mass market mini suite or basic suite class were edging into premium small/medium size ship lower category prices. If you're a frugal cost performance oriented cruiser, mass market per day value might not be there for a while.
Cruiseplum.com helps filter by ship size, build year, price per day, and total trip price. There's also a large online travel agency which has an impressive search engine.
Maybe start researching island vacations? Not quite the same thing as a cruise but some people just like being near the water and most islands will have day trip options on small boats. Some people who like cruises also like all inclusive resorts.
Cruiseplum.com helps filter by ship size, build year, price per day, and total trip price. There's also a large online travel agency which has an impressive search engine.
Maybe start researching island vacations? Not quite the same thing as a cruise but some people just like being near the water and most islands will have day trip options on small boats. Some people who like cruises also like all inclusive resorts.
I will take my wife’s reluctance as a plus for now. Yes, I’ve seen the increase in mass market cruises. Hopefully that will level out over time.
If I just want a beach day, it’s a 90 minute drive. But we don’t do multiple days in a row due to my wife’s skin cancer history. There’s lots to see and do within the state of Florida. We have an 11 day Air BnB booking in June at Panama City Beach. Mostly that’s just to spend time with our grandchildren. I guess my love of cruising is the whole package involving nightlife, dining, sightseeing with minimal effort. I love waking up to the sound of the anchor dropping in a new port. Some of that is missing in an all-inclusive resort.
I’ll wait it out and thank my wife for her hesitation. Meanwhile I will keep my eye on prices for 2022-2023 with fingers crossed. There’s no more just showing up at the dock to occupy empty cabins. But I can drive to multiple ports in under 5 hours so if down the road something goes on sale within the current month, I should be able to jump on it.
Jun 13, 2021, 8:59 pm
#446
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,125
Anyone here have experience with American Cruise Line https://www.americancruiselines.com ?
They tick a number of pandemic-era boxes for me: 1) Small Ship 2) Stays in America. Their website says they do not require vaccination, which seems to defy the CDC...
They tick a number of pandemic-era boxes for me: 1) Small Ship 2) Stays in America. Their website says they do not require vaccination, which seems to defy the CDC...
Jun 14, 2021, 4:21 pm
#447
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: GRR
Programs: Delta Plat & Million Miler
Posts: 1,375
Have not
Anyone here have experience with American Cruise Line https://www.americancruiselines.com ?
They tick a number of pandemic-era boxes for me: 1) Small Ship 2) Stays in America. Their website says they do not require vaccination, which seems to defy the CDC...
They tick a number of pandemic-era boxes for me: 1) Small Ship 2) Stays in America. Their website says they do not require vaccination, which seems to defy the CDC...
Jun 18, 2021, 10:50 pm
#449
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,125
I have not gone on them, but looked at them quite a bit. There is also the American Queen Steamboat company that runs similar trips. They require vaccination. https://www.americanqueensteamboatcompany.com/
Jun 20, 2021, 5:13 pm
#450
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: I 35 south bound, finally stopped
Programs: LT Plt, 4mm, *A GLD, burned out medical provider, executing our estate plan
Posts: 1,665
I have a health care back ground. If you have cruised, you have always had a significant risk of illness. It is only due to the pandemic that everyone is hyperaware of getting sick. Our July cruise cancelled, but the December cruise appears on track, which is weird because it involves India.
