Tracking Cruising Restart: News and Updates

[brentm77]

Interesting that he says the CDC greenlight could be a few days or a few weeks away. That's a lot sooner than what I would have thought.

I was just reading another article, and it put the comments in better context. Is said that the greenlight was when they could start the process to get approval to sail. So they haven't even started the test cruising stuff. The CDC hasn't even issued the guidelines needed to start the test cruising. Bummer. But it seems they think once they start the process, they could be sailing within 90 days.

That said, Del Rio estimated that from the moment the CDC gives Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings a green light on beginning the test cruise process, it could be around 90 days until the company has its first vessel back in operation.

This is the reason the line has been canceling sailings about three months out on a rolling basis, he suggested.

“I think for planning purposes, we’d like to give ourselves that 90-day window more or less,” Del Rio said. “And so we’ve (currently) canceled cruises through the end of May. So if you count with your fingers, we’re basically (at) March 1, so (we’ve canceled) all of March, all of April, all of May.”

Del Rio suggested the company was waiting to cancel further departures until it was sure they can’t operate. In the other words, the company still is holding out at least a sliver of hope that a handful of ships could restart operations in June.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/cruise-ship-restart-key-indicator/

 

[kathi]

I really love the vaccine only option to start a return to cruising - hope it works out for RCL out of Israel.

 

[kathi]

Does anyone have a link for the status of the ships? I'm looking on CDC website now. I found the guidance.

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/index.html

 

[PirateFrank]

Hey folks, I've been struggling with whether to mention this - because its purely imaginative speculation on my part but I couldn't help but notice that DCL canceled my 2021 mediterranean cruise on the Magic almost 2 months earlier than they did my same cruise for 2020. As of now, there are four more Northern European cruises left - but I can't help but wonder if those are destined to be whacked as well.

So assuming DCL is looking at a mid or late summer start (yes, big assumption) and also assuming DCL would want to keep its restart based in Port Canaveral to manage covid protocols more closely. What are the chances they are trying to quickly put together alternate plans for the Magic (which would explain the much earlier 2021 cancelations)?

Some thoughts I had include:
1. Spill over for Fantasy and/or Dream itineraries to keep those cruises under 50% occupancy.
2. Smaller 2-4 day cruises out of a US port, perhaps cruises to nowhere (if they can get US govt permission).

Or.......I could just be overthinking this and there are no plans to do anything with the Magic except to start up at the next scheduled cruise that doesn't get canceled.

 

[Intr3pid]

I was just reading another article, and it put the comments in better context. Is said that the greenlight was when they could start the process to get approval to sail. So they haven't even started the test cruising stuff. The CDC hasn't even issued the guidelines needed to start the test cruising. Bummer. But it seems they think once they start the process, they could be sailing within 90 days.

Del Rio's statements notwithstanding, here are the timelines in the CDC's conditional sailing order (CSO):

1. CDC needs a 30-day notice before a test sailing can begin.
2. Following the test sailing, an after-action report has to be compiled to detail the findings of the test sailing and - if applicable - changes to the operations on board.
3. This after-action report, combined with all other documentation, needs to be submitted to the CDC to receive the sailing certificate. CDC needs 60 days to review the submission and issue the certificate.

In short, look for (a minimum of) 90 days of wait from the time of the notice to the CDC (of a test sailing) to the issuance of the sailing certificate. Any earlier would be just at the discretion of the CDC.

 

[Intr3pid]

Does anyone have a link for the status of the ships? I'm looking on CDC website now. I found the guidance.

Take a look at this page. Scroll down to see the table:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/crew-disembarkations-commercial-travel.html

 

[DCLDVC1]

Del Rio's statements notwithstanding, here are the timelines in the CDC's conditional sailing order (CSO):

1. CDC needs a 30-day notice before a test sailing can begin.
2. Following the test sailing, an after-action report has to be compiled to detail the findings of the test sailing and - if applicable - changes to the operations on board.
3. This after-action report, combined with all other documentation, needs to be submitted to the CDC to receive the sailing certificate. CDC needs 60 days to review the submission and issue the certificate.

In short, look for (a minimum of) 90 days of wait from the time of the notice to the CDC (of a test sailing) to the issuance of the sailing certificate. Any earlier would be just at the discretion of the CDC.

So RCL is at least 180+ days from sailing?

 

[ChicosWife]

Some thoughts I had include:
1. Spill over for Fantasy and/or Dream itineraries to keep those cruises under 50% occupancy.

This statement brought me to this question. When DCL does resume cruising and assuming those that maintained their reservations is over the 50% occupancy, how will DCL handle the overage? How will they decide who gets cancelled?

 

[kathi]

Take a look at this page. Scroll down to see the table:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/crew-disembarkations-commercial-travel.html

Yeah -that's old and was for ships to be allowed to get their crew OFF the ships in US ports. Maybe it's relevant for return to sailing, but it has been out for months. Maybe someone here is more knowledgeable about that table.

 

[Intr3pid]

Yeah -that's old and was for ships to be allowed to get their crew OFF the ships in US ports. Maybe it's relevant for return to sailing, but it has been out for months. Maybe someone here is more knowledgeable about that table.

That table is updated every week - last update was last week. Which specific ship status are you looking for?

 

[PirateFrank]

This statement brought me to this question. When DCL does resume cruising and assuming those that maintained their reservations is over the 50% occupancy, how will DCL handle the overage? How will they decide who gets cancelled?

I should say again....my post was entirely speculative. Based on nothing except whats raging through my often weird mind.

But if they have a few ships doing nothing (i.e. Magic and possibly the Wonder) while the Fantasy and Dream start to sail....it might be a good use of the ships to provide spill over. Perhaps offer people the option to sail the same itinerary with similar dates on the Magic - for some OBC or something.

 

[kathi]

That table is updated every week - last update was last week. Which specific ship status are you looking for?

It's not specific ship info - it's just when I read that entire page, it's about which ship is "green" to allow their crew to disembark into US ports. I'm looking for a table that shows status for being able to do test sailings (maybe it's the same thing, but I don't think so based on what I read).

 

[ChicosWife]

I should say again....my post was entirely speculative. Based on nothing except whats raging through my often weird mind.

But if they have a few ships doing nothing (i.e. Magic and possibly the Wonder) while the Fantasy and Dream start to sail....it might be a good use of the ships to provide spill over. Perhaps offer people the option to sail the same itinerary with similar dates on the Magic - for some OBC or something.

I know. I was saying when I saw your post, it made me think about how they would handle that type of situation, but I like your idea of the spillover, so that DCL doesn't have to "pick" who gets to sail and who doesn't.

 

[kathi]

It's possible that many guests are not going to want to sail with the covid restrictions and reduction in experiences - so there might not be as much spill-over from existing bookings as you might think. Time will tell.

 

[DCLDVC1]

It's possible that many guests are not going to want to sail with the covid restrictions and reduction in experiences - so there might not be as much spill-over from existing bookings as you might think. Time will tell.

Based on discussions in a few DCL FB groups I'm in, I think there will be a lot of cancellations once the COVID restrictions and reduction in experiences are announced.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

Based on discussions in a few DCL FB groups I'm in, I think there will be a lot of cancellations once the COVID restrictions and reduction in experiences are announced.

I agree. I also think capacity beginning with Fall 2021 sailings was limited on opening day. Much easier to open more rooms than cancel existing reservations. Limited capacity was pretty much a given by the time these sailings were released.

 

[AquaDame]

I'm sure you're right, and maybe more people will sign up too depending on what the announcements entail. I'm fine with masking up and such, but my husband isn't as keen, and having to be on a ship sponsored excursion would be a dealbreaker for both of us except in the case of the double dip with no other stops (March 2022).

 

[kathi]

I agree. I also think capacity beginning with Fall 2021 sailings was limited on opening day. Much easier to open more rooms than cancel existing reservations. Limited capacity was pretty much a given by the time these sailings were released.

We booked fall 2021 last August when it was clear our fall 2020 anniversary cruise wasn’t sailing (20 years) I know that concierge is sold out on our sailing. No idea if some of those cabins are blocked out. Hope we can sail. ️

 

[brentm77]

Del Rio's statements notwithstanding, here are the timelines in the CDC's conditional sailing order (CSO):

1. CDC needs a 30-day notice before a test sailing can begin.
2. Following the test sailing, an after-action report has to be compiled to detail the findings of the test sailing and - if applicable - changes to the operations on board.
3. This after-action report, combined with all other documentation, needs to be submitted to the CDC to receive the sailing certificate. CDC needs 60 days to review the submission and issue the certificate.

In short, look for (a minimum of) 90 days of wait from the time of the notice to the CDC (of a test sailing) to the issuance of the sailing certificate. Any earlier would be just at the discretion of the CDC.

In one of the articles, Del Rio also made the comment that he was in talks with the CDC and thought it may be able to shorten the 60-day window. Who knows. It's in their best interest to be overly optimistic publicly to keep the stocks afloat and make it easier to raise capital, as you pointed out with another line recently.

 

[auntlynne]

Hey folks, I've been struggling with whether to mention this - because its purely imaginative speculation on my part but I couldn't help but notice that DCL canceled my 2021 mediterranean cruise on the Magic almost 2 months earlier than they did my same cruise for 2020. As of now, there are four more Northern European cruises left - but I can't help but wonder if those are destined to be whacked as well.
...

For 2021, Didn’t they ditch the cruises that were >7 nights before they cancelled all the Spring and Alaska sailings? Was your cruise one of the longer journeys?

(Yeah, not really the point of your post; just a minor point of clarification).

Hope you get on that cruise someday. I really enjoyed an 11-night Med cruise on DCL in 2010.