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Cruising Chatter / Re: Carnival CEO defends company's safety record
« Last post by RichC on April 24, 2020, 06:07:33 AM »I think people will have a different view about getting an inoculation for viruses in the future.
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Cruising Chatter / Re: Carnival CEO defends company's safety record
« Last post by obendus on April 23, 2020, 10:47:43 PM »If and when the next cruise ship leaves any port & there's another our break of the virus, I truly believe it might be the end of the cruise industry for a long time. Most people I talk to about cruising lately are horrified at the though of being confined on a ship right now.
I can't imagine what it could do to the industry if there's another incident down the road.
I'll apologize for this gallows humor in advance: I heard this a month ago.
"Princess Cruises is running a promotion: Buy 1 week, Get 2 for free"
Now, given what has happened over the last number of weeks, this is just worthy of a twisted grimace at best.
The stories told and lives lost have forever changed so much.
Nobody wants to be a test subject.
A recurrent outbreak will be an even greater disaster, and our best hope will be an amendment to the annual flu shot.
Coronavirus' do not play nice.
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Cruising Chatter / Re: Current status of cruise brand operations
« Last post by obendus on April 23, 2020, 10:32:51 PM »It should be interesting to see what happens shortly.Yep, that and it'll be like a shakedown cruise for the crew. Upgrades will be utopian.
My prediction is that many of the ships will sail partially filled- just to get the public accustomed to the idea of cruising beginning once again.
As for a trip THIS fall, um..... nope. Not from an April perspective anyway.
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Cruising Chatter / Re: Current status of cruise brand operations
« Last post by RichC on April 23, 2020, 12:10:08 PM »Even a terrific offer for a cruise in 2021 doesn't seem that attractive right now....and none of the cruise lines can afford to even allow that right now with their recent episodes.
It should be interesting to see what happens shortly.
My prediction is that many of the ships will sail partially filled- just to get the public accustomed to the idea of cruising beginning once again.
Any takers for a trip this fall?
It should be interesting to see what happens shortly.
My prediction is that many of the ships will sail partially filled- just to get the public accustomed to the idea of cruising beginning once again.
Any takers for a trip this fall?
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Cruising Chatter / Re: Carnival CEO defends company's safety record
« Last post by RichC on April 23, 2020, 12:02:16 PM »If and when the next cruise ship leaves any port & there's another our break of the virus, I truly believe it might be the end of the cruise industry for a long time. Most people I talk to about cruising lately are horrified at the though of being confined on a ship right now.
I can't imagine what it could do to the industry if there's another incident down the road.
I can't imagine what it could do to the industry if there's another incident down the road.
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Princess News & Princess Chatter / Re: Princess Cruises Extends Temporary Pause of Global Operations Through June 30
« Last post by obendus on April 23, 2020, 10:54:06 AM »I wonder if they can have filled any of the first ships to sail with enough people to make a profit?
No matter what the date. Everyone will be so skeptical about sailing it would be impossible to relax & have a good time.
It will be interesting to see the changes. There may be some incredible offers to lure back the guinea-PAX.
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Cruising Chatter / Re: Carnival CEO defends company's safety record
« Last post by obendus on April 23, 2020, 10:43:06 AM »Now all they have to do is convince the sailing public that all is well.Certainly, the CEO of Carnival is impartial. This is NOT over.
Amen.
You could see the reaction at Jacksonville beaches yesterday. People are jumping at the chance to return to their old normal activities.
I'm expecting to see a jump in active cases in a few days.
Another week or so, and boom, the results will blossom.
In a twisted sort of fate, the socially promiscuous will bear a large load of the new infections, but they wont be the true victims.
Everyone is tired of the restrictions, but realistically, we're not nearly through this.
Princess should be at the forefront of sanitizing ships, advertising this approach, and promoting their concern for passengers.
A little proactive advertising at this time, tail between their legs (so to speak), will position the brand to emerge stronger.
If what some of the pundits claim turns out to be true, b-to-b marketing will take a backseat to b-to-c marketing for restoration of consumer sentiment.
There will be fewer people positioned to take paid holidays, at least for some time, so thats a smaller share of the pie.
The CEO, if a visionary, will realize that business as usual has vanished.
Heartfelt marketing to the cruiselines bread and butter, the consumer, is smarter than ever.
Just my 2 cents worth.
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Cruising Chatter / Re: Current status of cruise brand operations
« Last post by obendus on April 23, 2020, 10:25:51 AM »It will be interesting and what the government demands of the cruise line for testing of everythingUnfortunately, additional demands won't happen unless the cruising public stays away from travelling. If there is a market metric for using higher testing standards, it will happen only if failing to do so impacts bookings.
Many people will be sitting on the fence, staring at booking offers, just too gun shy to actually book, until there is some believable assurance that participation in the latest mass communicable outbreak isn't included with their fare.
There is pent up demand for cruising that can be found if the public actually believes cruising can be safe.
Governments shouldn't have to be at the forefront of these changes.
A little initiative from the cruise industry itself could go a long way toward restoring the product value, which has now been decimated.
The Princess brand has the steepest hill to climb.
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Cruising Chatter / Re: Current status of cruise brand operations
« Last post by obendus on April 21, 2020, 08:02:11 PM »I'll be watching very closely.Thanks. That provides quite a sampling of cruise ship to keep an eye on after they begin cruising later this year just to see if that nasty virus pops up once again.
As mass testing becomes widespread there 'might' be an opportunity for prescreened PAX cruises. Just saying!
And in my continuing need to flood the days, I'm reading about trials of PiCoVacc. Let you know if it isn't all BS.
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Cruising Chatter / Re: Current status of cruise brand operations
« Last post by obendus on April 21, 2020, 04:03:58 PM »I'm guessing the temperature taking when boarding, possibly a tighter control on serving food in the buffet.
How much good it will do is questionable since crowding is next to impossible to enforce....like sitting next to someone in the DR and lounges.
You though a table for 2 was hard to get last year......just wait.
Unless they find a vaccine for this virus I'm thinking cruising will be put off by most people for quite a while.
Another quick test thats gaining some attention is the 'pulseox' (fingertip test).
Its believed to indicate respiratory problems (Covid pneumonia) far in advance of
actual symptomatic respiratory distress.
(Dr Richard Levitan article in the NYT (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/20/opinion/coronavirus-testing-pneumonia.html))
They will get more testing done, and they will get better at it.
Vaccines will likely be 12-18 months, given the verification and testing protocols.
On another note, they didnt find any evidence of transmission via the ventilation system, as there were no
clusters of Covid positive PAX based on cabin location.
We, as they say, will wait and see.