Covid Cruise Experience…Is this for You?
Some readers seem to think I am anti-cruising, which I am not.
However, I am trying to be realistic when it comes to the cruising experience after Covid19.
I have said, who will fill these cruise ships once lockdown and other measures have been taken to reduce further infections.
Video of 10 Cruise ships in Weymouth Bay…But how to get them full with passengers again?
Covid cruise experience ships waiting for their next passengers?
But then again, with many new requirements needed to reduce Covid on the ships will you really want to have that experience?
The experience you may have enjoyed before will just not be the same going forward. That is until a vaccine against Covid19 has been produced and distributed fully across the globe!
Generally cruising does attract an older demographic. However, when it comes to the new age of travel insurance, where sometimes companies are requiring 3 times the premiums than of those of 30 to 40year olds for those 70+ travellers.
Are you waiting to be the next passenger?
If you can cover those additional costs as many will. What are the changes you can expect when you actually get on the ship?
The Covid Cruise Experience From Now On
Masks for you, plus your fellow passengers and crew. Keeping 1.5 metres away from non-family members. I don’t think will be that easy in some of the long corridors and gangways even with one way systems. Shopping, cafe and bar areas with restricted numbers can be a plus but loss of atmosphere surely?
Every transfer to shore or generally moving around the ship will require a mask.
Age cohorts will mean passengers to be organized or divided into age groups for activities.
Are there just too many cruise ships?
Your mini bar and tea and coffee making facilities will go! This is a quote from the document: It is advised to remove any item that can’t be cleaned and disinfected between cruises. Such as menus, magazines, coffee/ tea packaging and mini-bar products.
This will also apply to coffee makers and kettles. Disposable covers be placed over TV and the air-conditioning remote controls to allow proper disinfection.
Every trip to the fitness suite (socially distanced of course) will be recorded along with other areas of entertainment on the ship.
P and O one of the well known cruise lines that have numerous ships still waiting for service.
Indoor swimming pool visits will be a no no!
Meeting any other people on ship and shore-based visits to be limited. Shipping lines and terminal operators are to ensure distancing inside their facilities. Also, they should consider limiting the number of taxis and coaches at pick-ups to prevent crowding.
Cruise ship Marina.
Disinfection of all luggage, certainly the hand contact parts!
If you have booked an off-ship excursion then those providers should be offering similar precautions to those on the ship.
Getting back onto the ship with health screening will all be part of the new normal.
Read This Before You Book Your Next Cruise
If you still think I am being negative then I suggest you read this 50page document issued by Health Gateways and the European Union:
I think without doubt your cruise experience will be impacted by these regulations. And, if you are happy put up with all the changes…then please cruise away.
Mentioned early is travel insurance.
Many companies have stopped selling travel insurance and here your choices are going to be less.
Exclusions will operate around coronavirus so be warned and read the small print.
P and O ships waiting for their next passengers?
Some will not cover Covid19 risk at all but there will be some that will. Some companies will offer medical expenses and medi-vac or repatriation if you get infected abroad. But will not cover issues like cancellation or disruption.
Other factors that could affect you cancelling are. If you catch the virus or if you arrive in your destination or get turned away because of their lockdown. You will not be able to claim for those or if they enter lockdown whilst you are visiting.
The Seaboourn Quest, left and Holland America’s The Rotterdam.
Also bear in mind if the FCO advise against travel, then you may get limited cover or perhaps nothing at all.
Filling those berths on those myriad of ships. I cannot see from a cost point of view how a ship that is built to carry 3,000 passengers will make money with 1,500 passengers. That is unless they have to increase fares of course?
Administration The New Covid Cruise Experience
Even today its been announced that the Essex based Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV) company has gone into administration. 50,000 holidays needed to be refunded. It employed around 4,000 people.
This cruise line Cruise and Maritime Voyages has now gone into administration!
Would I want to go on a cruise in the current health and financial situation. Well I would have to say…No!
Who does not enjoy great table service, first-class meals, seeing exciting destinations and exploring ashore? For me with the loss of simple human interaction, be that with fellow passengers or crew, I cannot see the experience being a delight. Spending time avoiding contact with people when part of the experience is meeting new people?
Somehow cruising for a week in a compact environment does not sound like a great way to spend 7 days currently. By the way, 7 days is the time being recommended for the length of cruises from now on!
Carnival Breeze waiting for their next passengers?
This is why I think that filling these ships to a capacity where the cruise companies can make money will only happen with that world wide vaccine. As cruises will be limited to so called ‘safe’ countries.
However, even now with travel restrictions here in the UK lifted. People are reluctant to eat out and spend wildly in the wider and open-air country.
Being thrust into a luxury metal box, exclusively decorated with glittering art works, lavish fittings, first class food and don’t forget those 1,500 or 1,000 other mask wearers.
Well for me, a seaside café offering a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea sounds like a safer, much less stressful and more mentally satisfying option to me?
This Post Has 2 Comments
As a cruiser of more than 25 cruises I cannot imagine anything worse than boarding a cruise ship!! It would only take one person with Covid 19 to be on board and the whole ship would be in total lock down.
We always take a balcony cabin and can you imagine what it would be like being locked in your cabin and have meals bought to you. Even balcony cabins aren’t that roomy can you imagine being in an inside cabin? No windows or natural light worst than being in jail!! I agree the only way the cruise industry will recover if there is a vaccine, so the ships can operate as they did before Covid19. I fear there will be many ships taken out of service and cruising will never be the same as before. I hope I’m wrong love cruising but not looking good at this time.
This industry will never recover. It’s not a ‘getting back to normal’, this is a 9/11 event. Positives and negatives of removal of the cruise sector. Hopefully it will inspire some good brains to produce carbon-negative tourism.