Coronavirus and DCL Megathread - Suspension of Departures for the fleet until early November. Booking only available from early December.

[PrincessShmoo]

i would assume so. I guess they just needed another line to step up first

I suppose that would mean they are "just falling in line with what other cruise lines are doing". That's their mantra these days.

 

[Sakura1017]

I don't think rebooking is gonna solve the issue. We don't know how long this virus is gonna spread. If you rebook and in a year it's still an issue they are unlikely gonna offer another rebooking.

If you haven't paid in full yet, the best thing you can do is to purchase trip insurance that includes cancel for any reason and not on Disney's plan.

If you already paid in full, it's gonna be a gamble. Disney will probably not cancel until the very last minute. Therefore its in your best interest to think about family, work, etc. If you go just take precautionary measures and wash hands. If you are concerned about anything best thing to do is cancel asap to get part of your deposit back.

As much as I want Disney to initiate and take our concerns and extend either paid in full or they issue a full refund you have to think of worse case scenario. From past posts from others regarding other scenarios, ie norovirus or hurricanes, it really was a last minute call in terms of what they will do.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Except I think people who are not going to book a cruise will still not book a cruise. It's not the ports, exactly, that's making people rethink cruises (or travel in general), but the numbers of people you wind up rubbing shoulders with during that travel.

And I doubt that this situation will cause any changes (temporary, or otherwise) to the PVSA.

What you say might be true.

But there is also an untapped market out there of people who have never booked a cruise and not interested in Canada, Mexico or Bahamas.
I think every one knows someone who is afraid to leave the town or state they live in, so it stands to reason the same would apply to leaving the country.
Or for a short window people might say “I feel safer with the “USA only” cruise.” We won’t get stuck in a foreign country if we are quarantined. And we could be closer to contact our family and personal doctors if something went wrong. Thereby leaving us with easier way to get medications, or send us underwear or a bigger pair of pants because we ate too many times at the buffet earlier in the week.
I think the temporary benefits could be so helpful to the industry. Think of the sick(non-contagious) people that would like to take a cruise with family but wouldn’t be able to travel out of the country safely.
There’s got to be at least 15 more reasons besides the ones I have listed that would be helpful to have that closed loop US to US.
But the main point here is, now would be a great opportunity to challenge/amend that law and open the door to new possibilities.

 

[CarolynU]

So if your cruise is booked through a travel agent (Dreams) can you as an individual make the changes or do you have to work through your TA does anyone know?

 

[John VN]

So if your cruise is booked through a travel agent (Dreams) can you as an individual make the changes or do you have to work through your TA does anyone know?

I have been in communication with someone very senior at DCL. He expects an announcement tomorrow regarding upcoming cruises and some "options" for customers. He did not think it would cover our Greek cruises yet, but I had a chance to explain why it would be beneficial to extend the cancelation deadline in April if things haven't improved. I think my conversation will make a difference. He understands the importance of protecting the brand name. I was actually very impressed. We will see tomorrow.

Just waiting to hear/read. Pretty sure the situation will have to remain "fluid" until things are under control.

 

[ivanp91]

Is there a chance they are going to cancel some of the Med/Europe cruises on the Disney Magic? Or maybe give guests the option to cancel their trip or move to a different sailing without some kind of fee?

I imagine the latter would be most likely. Earlier today, Carnival and Princess began offering customers on their Australia-based cruises departing from now through May 31 the option to either reschedule or cancel their cruise without penalty. Those who choose to stay on their booked cruise will receive onboard credit, which I would imagine is a bit of a goodwill gesture as it is likely there will be missed ports and itinerary changes - many ports in the Pacific have closed to cruise ships. I have a cruise that falls under this temporary policy, the amount of OBC being offered is incentive enough for me to keep my booking.

I can imagine Disney doing something similar, but probably not identical - part of me has a hard time seeing Disney being willing to offer OBC, or at least as much as Carnival Corp is offering.

 

[Rob1872]

So if your cruise is booked through a travel agent (Dreams) can you as an individual make the changes or do you have to work through your TA?

If you are changing a booking you always have to go through the TA; it is the (very) rare instances like this where I don't control my own booking that keeps me from using a TA to get their onboard credit. I'm too much of a control freak to not be able to make changes myself.

 

[CarolynU]

If you are changing a booking you always have to go through the TA; it is the (very) rare instances like this where I don't control my own booking that keeps me from using a TA to get their onboard credit. I'm too much of a control freak to not be able to make changes myself.

Well I’m guessing that Dreams must also be aware of this announcement and will be on the ball.
Our cruise embarks Barcelona and debarks Rome so if they just amended the debark port I’d still take the cruise and change flights. But it’s not that simple for DCL to do that of course because of all their new passengers embarking in Rome.
It must be a logistical nightmare.

 

[dclpluto]

So if your cruise is booked through a travel agent (Dreams) can you as an individual make the changes or do you have to work through your TA does anyone know?

booking through a travel agent you gave up control.Your travel agent will have to make the changes for you.

 

[Lisa F]

What you say might be true.

But there is also an untapped market out there of people who have never booked a cruise and not interested in Canada, Mexico or Bahamas.
I think every one knows someone who is afraid to leave the town or state they live in, so it stands to reason the same would apply to leaving the country.
Or for a short window people might say “I feel safer with the “USA only” cruise.” We won’t get stuck in a foreign country if we are quarantined. And we could be closer to contact our family and personal doctors if something went wrong. Thereby leaving us with easier way to get medications, or send us underwear or a bigger pair of pants because we ate too many times at the buffet earlier in the week.
I think the temporary benefits could be so helpful to the industry. Think of the sick(non-contagious) people that would like to take a cruise with family but wouldn’t be able to travel out of the country safely.
There’s got to be at least 15 more reasons besides the ones I have listed that would be helpful to have that closed loop US to US.
But the main point here is, now would be a great opportunity to challenge/amend that law and open the door to new possibilities.

No one is going to say any of that. California is a hot spot for the virus right now. Only reason we don't know more numbers is that the government is refusing to allow testing on anyone not exhibiting extremely severe symptoms.

Someone with a phobia about leaving the country is not going to get on a ship under the current circumstances no matter how good the deal.

 

[KMack]

I would be more concerned about the cruises going out in coming weeks , than the summer cruises. I am supposed to get on the Wonder for the WBPC today and am concerned about our docking in San Diego in 2 weeks.

 

[CarolynU]

I would be more concerned about the cruises going out in coming weeks , than the summer cruises. I am supposed to get on the Wonder for the WBPC today and am concerned about our docking in San Diego in 2 weeks.

Yes that’s the thing. Cases are low some places and super high others then different countries that were low see their cases rising whilst the high areas are stabilising.
Could well be that June cruises are still being monitored rather than amended at this stage.

 

[Karin1984]

No one is going to say any of that. California is a hot spot for the virus right now. Only reason we don't know more numbers is that the government is refusing to allow testing on anyone not exhibiting extremely severe symptoms.

Someone with a phobia about leaving the country is not going to get on a ship under the current circumstances no matter how good the deal.

No, but those who want to cruise but cannot afford DCL's normal prices can replace those who decided to cancel. If the price is right.

 

[qbnole]

An announcement is coming out from DCL sometime tomorrow regarding changes and options for cruises over the next few months. It won't touch the early summer cruises yet, but they will address those as needed depending on how things develop. Let's hope the announcement is a win win for everyone.

Where are you getting this info from?

 

[Lisa F]

No, but those who want to cruise but cannot afford DCL's normal prices can replace those who decided to cancel. If the price is right.

at what price people people will decide to risk exposure is a whole other discussion.

I do not think allowing cruise ships to go into only US ports will solve any problems (which is what I was reacting to.) First of all, if you are trying to contain a virus in CA, having a ship bringing people from port to port to port all up the coast seems completely moronic.

Secondly someone who has a level of paranoia making them afraid to leave the US is not going to get on a cruise ship under the current circumstances - it's not paranoia about the same thing but someone who is afraid to leave the country already has a high level of irrational fear, they are not going to be the ones who are going to say "oh well let's give it a try and hope for the best."

Agree that there will be some stellar bargains for people who have a higher tolerance to risk - especially people in their 20's and 30's who don't live with older people - who may not be able to afford a cruise and are at the lowest risk for transmission of the virus and also have far less of a sense of mortality than people in middle age or older.

But I don't think suspending the closed loop rules and just sailing around the US is going to make a cruise any more appealing to anyone under the current circumstances and in fact it may hasten transmission of the virus here in the US which is not something the government is going to be inclined to do.

 

[Lisa F]

Yes that’s the thing. Cases are low some places and super high others then different countries that were low see their cases rising whilst the high areas are stabilising.
Could well be that June cruises are still being monitored rather than amended at this stage.

It's true - it seems like China may be on the downside of this thing having contained it mostly to Wuhan (in their own country, they obviously can't control what other countries do and obviously it got out of china) and the number of new cases is dropping... the mortality rate outside of Wuhan where they have the facilities to deal with complications is more like 0.7% per a recent WHO document. by June China may be the safest place to be.

 

[Numtini]

LoLWuT? The problem isn't where the ship goes, it's that cruises inherently create an environment that fosters infections.

 

[aggiedog]

After that second Princess ship being quarantined, off the coast of San Francisco even, I think a quarantined DCL ship would be a PR nightmare. Several companies are now offering temporary offers to move/cancel trips.

 

[monkeydawn]

No one is going to say any of that. California is a hot spot for the virus right now. Only reason we don't know more numbers is that the government is refusing to allow testing on anyone not exhibiting extremely severe symptoms.

Someone with a phobia about leaving the country is not going to get on a ship under the current circumstances no matter how good the deal.

I 100% agree about current circumstances although this may be a way to get people on the ship that are still wary after the danger has passed. Maybe a way to jump start the industry again assuming this gets very bad before it gets better. And, also assuming, that the lines can weather the "very bad".

 

[Lisa F]

I 100% agree about current circumstances although this may be a way to get people on the ship that are still wary after the danger has passed. Maybe a way to jump start the industry again assuming this gets very bad before it gets better. And, also assuming, that the lines can weather the "very bad".

yeah I have been wondering how many hits princess in particular can take and whether they will still be standing after all of this.

I think Disney has deep pockets and a small fleet to weather the storm but... we'll see.

I still think the people most averse to risk are not going to be the first to cruise again once this has passed... it will be the people least averse to risk.

I was in my 20's for 9/11 and we took advantage of some amazing travel bargains after - including two disney cruises - the first was I think $799 or $999 for two in an inside room for a 7-night cruise January 2002 and then you got a voucher for a $99pp 3 day cruise in the same category during the following Hurricane season. That is part of the reason I am CC gold at this point, we did both. I think I paid less for my first 5 disney cruises in TOTAL before 2005 than I did for my last single disney 7 night cruise. Also stayed at the Willard hotel in DC for 4th of july 2002 for $100 a night and it included free room service breakfast including gratuity, which came out to about $75 of that when all was said and done.

Now that I'm a parent of a kid on the spectrum with major financial obligations, my tolerance for risk has gone way down.