What's your feeling about cruising again?

[Kendhni]

Purely a speculation ... I don't think that DIY excursions are likely for the next 6 months or so. Cruise lines will not want to run the risk of being seen as having disease spreading ships so they will do everything to avoid this. A lot of people and media will be watching with some just looking to wallow in epicaricacy.

Ken - I feel I should put this comment on the "You learn something new every day" thread but I had to look up the meaning of "epicaricacy" - I honestly didn't have a clue what it meant

I thought that with brexit I should no longer be using 'schadenfreude'.

[Manoverboard]

do you think we will be able cancel the trips and get a full refund

I would hazard a guess that the normal rules for cancelling and refunds would apply. cannot remember off the top of my head but at some point when you cancel there is a 10% deduction.

if you cancel in a trip in time you get a full refund - I've done it. can't remember how long in advance

We have done the same many times, no fee was charged but we did have to be repaid to the same card as the purchase. A 10% fee may of course become the norm.

[LadyPCruiser]

Interestingly it seems Royal Caribbean will allow you off ship independently- also when looking at trips in Tenerife you can do a beach transfer to Playa de las Americas on your own and spend 5 hours there ….can’t see the logic but I guess p and o can make their own rules

[towny44]

Interestingly it seems Royal Caribbean will allow you off ship independently- also when looking at trips in Tenerife you can do a beach transfer to Playa de las Americas on your own and spend 5 hours there ….can’t see the logic but I guess p and o can make their own rules

I believe that the excursions on the website are the normal pre covid ones, so I would not expect any of them to operate as planned, and any time allowed outside the tour coach will be "bubbled" so you do not come into close contact with any of the local population.

[Manoverboard]

Single coach viewings in the ' outlets ' then

[kaymar]

Last month we almost booked a Danube river cruise but, in the end, decided agaist it. Not so much the ship, but planes and coaches seemed like too much of a risk.

We have a Med cruise booked for September 2022 but are prepared to lose the deposit if we are not entirely happy that it will be safe with few if any restrictions . Norway and the Northern Lights in March 2023 is next - surely by then we should be free of this appalling pandemic. If neither of these come to pass, we shall probably give up and stick to U.K. land based breaks.

It's a bit sad, really - we have been cruising with our two friends for the last 15 years but by then, we will all be in our 80's and even if we are all still here, we may not be sufficiently well and mobile to get full enjoyment from a cruise.

[Frank Manning]

We are very restricted now by our health. Since our last cruise Sue has had colon cancer, and now I have a pituitary adenoma which is just touching my optic nerve, and it needs a complicated operation before my sight is affected. When the cruise ships were anchored in Poole bay, I looked rather longingly at Aurora and Arcadia, but I cant see it happening any time soon. I have also tipped into 80 this year, and I dont know if I can stand the chaos of embarkation, and disembarkation.

[barney]

We are very restricted now by our health. Since our last cruise Sue has had colon cancer, and now I have a pituitary adenoma which is just touching my optic nerve, and it needs a complicated operation before my sight is affected. When the cruise ships were anchored in Poole bay, I looked rather longingly at Aurora and Arcadia, but I cant see it happening any time soon. I have also tipped into 80 this year, and I dont know if I can stand the chaos of embarkation, and disembarkation.

There does come a time when your cruising time is up Frank.
I was chatting with a mate of mine this weekend and at the age of 82, he told me that they will not be doing anymore because of health issues.
That’s why we have to do what we can, when we can.

[kaymar]

Sorry, I seem to have started a slightly morbid trend. I think the trouble is that our lives have been on hold for the last 18 months with little real prospect of getting back to normality, at a time when many of us are wanting to make the most of it, as barney says, while we still can.

Still, if you can't have what you want, make sure to want what you have, eh.

[Stephen]

Sorry, I seem to have started a slightly morbid trend. I think the trouble is that our lives have been on hold for the last 18 months with little real prospect of getting back to normality, at a time when many of us are wanting to make the most of it, as barney says, while we still can.

Still, if you can't have what you want, make sure to want what you have, eh.

Mine’s a large single malt please

[Kendhni]

Mine’s a large single malt please

Never had you down as an Ovaltine drinker

[LadyPCruiser]

We have lost 2 very very close family members to Covid within the last 6 months. It has made us more determined not less to grab life by the ….S when we can as you never know what is round the corner

[gilly88]

just this week cancelled our cruise for march 2022 and put it back to November 2022, hopefully we will be looking at a changed world again by then. maybe we will also have had two boosters shots by then as well. But at the moment I have little enthusiasm for it all.

[LadyPCruiser]

We’ve just heard from p and o that passengers can go ashore independently but must adhere to the Covid protocols in each country. However they state all countries can change the protocols at short notice and some countries will only allow organised trips off ships. It’s a step in the right direction though isn’t it!

[Stephen]

That's a good bit of news. Thanks LadyPCruiser.

It will be interesting to find out what Norway's take is on this come March 2022.

[LadyPCruiser]

I’ll let you all know after our cruise to Spain and Portugal on Iona in 2 weeks time how it all works out - hoping to do some independent sightseeing in Barcelona

[Gill W]

I've still got two cruises booked moved forward to May 2022 and March 2023.

To be honest, I'm not feeling a great deal of enthusiasm about these cruises. There are too many hoops to jump through to get on board and too much uncertainty about what's going to happen. Although I think that the hoops are needed to get on board, my desire to cruise isn't enough for me to want to do the hoop jumping.

Plus, there's onboard life to think of. Masks and distancing are part of life now, so that doesn't bother me. What would bother me is fellow passengers not adhering to protocols - I'd probably spend the whole cruise being annoyed by people wearing their masks with their noses hanging out!

[screwy]

Totally agree Gill.

Well there’s a change

[Stephen]

Steady on screwy, you’ll be on Gills Christmas card list next.

[anneed]

As a solo traveler I'd like to know what the dining arrangements are for single passengers. Table for one? No thanks!

[LadyPCruiser]

Just found out the Launderette’s are open on the ship

[barney]

I've still got two cruises booked moved forward to May 2022 and March 2023.

To be honest, I'm not feeling a great deal of enthusiasm about these cruises. There are too many hoops to jump through to get on board and too much uncertainty about what's going to happen. Although I think that the hoops are needed to get on board, my desire to cruise isn't enough for me to want to do the hoop jumping.

Plus, there's onboard life to think of. Masks and distancing are part of life now, so that doesn't bother me. What would bother me is fellow passengers not adhering to protocols - I'd probably spend the whole cruise being annoyed by people wearing their masks with their noses hanging out!

If it’s any consolation Gill, we feel exactly the same

[Stephen]

Just found out the Launderette’s are open on the ship

Do you take in washing

[LadyPCruiser]

For the right price Capt Stephen!! Funnily enough we’ve just had our cabin allocated for our cruise on Iona in 11 days time and ….. it’s 3 doors away from the Launderette - I will be first in the queue

[LadyPCruiser]

Fingers crossed all goes well for us on Saturday! Just done a test and it’s negative - So far so good !!