I’m About to Book a Cruise Amid Coronavirus, and Many Others Are Doing the Same
I’m Getting Ready to Book a Cruise Amid Coronavirus, and Many Others Are Doing the Same
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen the impact the virus has had on the cruise industry. Cruise lines are forced to make lay offs, and the CDC has put out a no-sail order for 100 days. In addition, we’ve seen how the virus can spread rapidly on cruises, impacting both passengers and crew. We’ve seen stories of cruises getting stuck filled with crewmembers and the impact that has had on people’s lives.
This morning, View from the Wing wrote an interesting piece about the increase in cruise bookings for 2021 sailings. In fact, the report shows that cruise bookings are up by 40% for 2021 in comparison to 2019. I chuckled a little from the article because it spoke to me, since I’m getting ready to book a cruise amid coronavirus. The sailing is set for May 2021 on Royal Caribbean with my husband and mom.
2021 Cruise Plan
I’ve been discussing doing this cruise with my mom for nearly a year now. We found the cruise in the fall and determined it’s the best cruise for my mom to see the most of Hawaii. She’s always been dying to go to Hawaii, and the cruise offered by Royal Caribbean combines five ports plus five sea days (my mom’s favorite!). It’s the perfect plan to get her to reach her goal of seeing Hawaii, while also avoiding needing to island hop via airplane and stay in hotels.
We’re going to book the 11-night Royal Caribbean cruise that departs from Honolulu, Hawaii. The ports included are Kailua Kona, Hilo, Maui (with an overnight), Nawiliwili. The cruise then sails across the Pacific for 5 days, and it ends in Vancouver, Canada. That means my mom will also have the opportunity to see Vancouver, which I’m sure she’ll find amazing.
Why Book Now?
We planned on booking around this time anyways, so we’re just sticking to that original schedule. There is limited availability for the cruise, and we don’t want to lose out on getting a good cabin. There’s also a possibility the price could go up, particularly in light of this news. I have been tracking the cruise for some time and was expecting the price might go down now. However, now I see very clearly there’s probably little hope of that. It seems cruise lines are having no issue getting people to booked, even amid the pandemic.
I’m also less concerned about booking out of fear of impacts in May of 2021. Yes, there is definitely a possibility there can still be impacts next year from the virus. The CDC Director spoke yesterday about the possibility of a second wave happening next year. I hope that’s not the case, and in case it’s not I want to have this trip booked. My mom has wanted to go to Hawaii for as long as I can remember. If there’s one thing this whole pandemic should teach us, it’s that we should take the opportunity to do what we can when we have the opportunity. There is no telling if we’ll have the opportunity again.
Bottom Line
I’m excited to book the cruise, and I hope nothing gets in the way of it actually happening. It’s even more exciting because our trip was canceled to Hawaii this June. This will be an amazing time for my mom to have her dream of seeing Hawaii, and a chance for my Husband and me to get to spend quality time with my mom. I’m sure she’s going to absolutely love the cruise, and I’ll be overjoyed to see her excitement at her reaching her top-rated place where she wants to travel. In times like this, I’m thankful to have my mom here to even be discussing booking this trip.
We book it with the understanding there is a possibility it can be canceled or changed. Hopeful that won’t be the case!
I hope you booked this through a travel agent. They are hurting badly right now and can help you if the plan changes.
We are long-time cruisers, and we love the industry and the product, but right now we are upset about the way travel insurance has operated in this virus mess. Most people don’t know that almost all travel insurance policies exclude pandemics, so if a pandemic is declared your insurance is worthless. We were on a cruise in New Zealand as this virus issue started, and we were worried about our insurance, so we checked with our Allianz policy and then called them. Sure enough, our insurance would not cover a pandemic, so we were left on our own–sorry Charlie. We turned out okay because we arrived back home two weeks before the serious issues started, but we will forever hate this self-serving travel insurance business that leaves its policy holders out in the cold when it suits the company best.
Wow, that is absolutely terrible! I’m glad you made it home safe and healthy. Yes, it’s pretty sad that insurance cannot come through when you need it most. It’s very disappointing!
“We book it with the understanding there is a possibility it can be canceled or changed”
Are you doing it with the possibility your mom may die? This seems very stupid. I don’t know how old she is, but I’m guessing she’s at a more sensitive age
I’ve booked four cruises in the last 90 days … to sail over the next two years. European road trips are no longer very enjoyable, we loathe big cities, and we’re not ready for organized tours. Travel budget monies go much further with a cruise. Closest one is Quebec to Boston in September. I was attracted by the “goodies”, deposits are refundable, all my money is transferrable and my travel insurance covers corporate insolvency. I probably would not have had the courage to do this on my own, but I have a genius cruise-expert travel agent. Cruise lines pay nice commissions to TAs, so there isn’t any reason not to go find a good one. It’s a most positive experience.
That’s so exciting and sounds like a lot of fun! I hope everything goes forward with your cruises as scheduled and you have a great time!
Wow this is extremely reckless and ill-advised. Why would ANYONE want to go on a cruise after this pandemic?