Like many of you right now, I faced a huge dilemma.
I had a cruise booked on Holland America in the Caribbean.
Should I cancel, or should I go with everything that's going on with Omicron?
I want to discuss with you what I decided and what happened, along with the three big
lessons I learned.
Some I expected, but probably more interesting is what I hadn't expected and learned as a
result - because I think you probably wouldn't have expected this either and should consider
these if you are due to or are thinking of cruising this year.
If you’re new here, welcome aboard.
I'm Gary Bembridge and it's my goal to make it fun and easy to discover, plan, and enjoy
unforgettable cruise vacations.
A big challenge I faced was, it was less than 30 days before my cruise and things were really
kicking off with Omicron cruise problems, cancellations, and changes.
The stress was increased as under the Holland America cancellation policy, if I cancelled,
I would suffer a big financial penalty as changes and cancellations less than 30 days
before the cruise did not fall under their generous cruise with confidence policy, unlike
some other cruise lines.
I spent time trying to balance the concerns I had, the hassles, the risk and the growing
pressure from friends and family who were concerned about me cruising during Omicron
wave.
And of course, all was heightened by the daily growing negative press about cruising
There was news of Holland America, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and other lines cancelling
or curtailing cruises.
Brazil had closed to cruising.
The CDC had issued advice saying, "Don't go cruising."
Taking that all into account, I decided to go.
And I thought it will be helpful to explain why I decided this because I've been contacted
by many people asking if they should go or cancel their cruises.
First of all, I am vaccinated, and I've already had my second booster.
So, my belief is that while I could still catch it, there is a much-reduced chance of
getting particularly ill with it and certainly ending up in hospital.
A part of me said the reason for getting vaccinated was to be able to get out in the world, and
so I should.
Secondly, I'm definitely not one of those that believe or argue that going on a cruise
ship is safer than going to my local supermarket or other random comparison.
I don't buy into it that thinking.
It's like comparing apples and pears, tomatos and radishes.
Going on a cruise is a very different experience and I believe I should look at what a cruise
itself offers, and what that risk looks like.
And that it differs by line too.
This is key as I will explain.
There were two key things about the risk.
One was I chose Holland America as they required being fully vaccinated crew and passengers,
test proof before boarding, masks at all times inside unless eating and drinking (even when
dancing they were required and in the shows) and they were running at less than half capacity
to enable distancing.
And the other is I do believe that there is a good line and a bad line to go based on
how they manage and enforce protocols.
There are lines I will and will not cruise with through this time.
I've been a number of cruises since the shutdown, and I've seen how the protocols work, both
the good and the bad.
For example, in the UK MSC in my view they handled things badly.
The way that they implemented and enforced protocols did not seem as I would like them,
and there appeared to be in many cases on board.
I know they dispute how they handled it, but the reality was in my view, the way they handled
it was not thorough to inspire my confidence or trust.
I've been on Viking, Princess, Celebrity and Ponant since shutdown eased, though, where
it had been extremely tightly handled.
I've been on other lines where I felt less secure like Virgin, for example, which had
a more relaxed different approach in my experience.
I felt confident that Holland America had protocols that I not only agreed with, but
I felt would be well implemented and followed.
This was key in my decision to still go as, in my experience, it's a more mature passenger
who are more likely to comply.
And it's not a big party cruise line with lots of big mixing activities.
It's a more sedate and calm experience with people sitting listening to music than say
on a younger more party-crowd resort line.
Next, I considered that I was going to the Caribbean much would be happening outdoors,
and I could choose excursions, which were outdoor and beach going, and as on Holland
America, there would be smaller size groups.
This was born out when I was there.
I saw other lines with big resort ships, had many more people on their excursions than
we had.
For example, on our catamaran tours which would normally hold 150 people, there were
to 25 to 35 people, but I could see other cruise lines were running them at close to
full capacity.
Our transfers even in beach transfers were split across several busses so each were around
half full.
I also had insurance that covered me for any COVID related issues and any disruptions,
quarantine, or medical issues.
So, that was also very important.
And I went out of my way to ask and understood the policy around what the quarantining and
isolation were on the cruise or if testing positive at the end of the cruise.
This meant isolation cabins on the ship with transfer to a line approved and funded hotel
on return to Fort Lauderdale if quarantine had not been completed.
Another consideration was that it seemed to me that most disruptions to cruises underway
was driven by spread within the crew and the ability to provide a full service.
The crew are more vulnerable.
They are working close proximity to each other.
They're living in shared and close quarters.
So, I decided I had the choice of staying at home, where in fact in the UK cases numbers
are very high, with many of my friends and extended family having caught it in the weeks
before going, or with the balance of risk I have described being okay to me to go.
I decided to travel, taking everything to account, especially as I do not have a job
I had to be back to on a certain day and a very understanding partner who was not coming
on the trip with me.
However, I've been asked many other people what they should do.
The balance of risk is incredibly personal.
Think through all the things I have outlines and I have been saying if you have even the
slightest amount of doubt, I recommend not going because once you get on board, things
are going to change.
That is inevitable, and it will stress you out.
The actual experience is going to change.
That was something I expected and something that I discovered as I will explain, as it
brings more issues for you to understand.
The big question as I set off was: is it going to be a great experience, even though I understood
the risks?
And would it still match in terms of enjoyment my last Caribbean cruise, which was at the
end of 2019 on Oceania.
I went in expecting itinerary changes, onboard changes, limits in port, and that things would
change all the time and that I had to be flexible.
And all of those things happened.
And it was, I'll admit a little bit stressful at the beginning of the cruise, not knowing
what was going to happen.
We had itinerary changes.
Martinique was changed to Saint Vincent, and then changed to Grenada.
We then had a last-minute change towards the end of the cruise, when St. Thomas wouldn't
allow us to come in, presumably because we'd hit that magic cutoff point of 1%.
Caribbean islands, once 1% of combined passengers and crew get COVID, will not let you into
a port.
In most ports, we faced limits.
In St. Lucia, Grenada and Barbados, we could only go on cruise line excursions or in government-approved
taxis to a short list of approved places, mostly beaches.
We had to wear masks in port, except at the beach.
We had temperatures checked.
We could not leave the excursion.
This was fine with because I wanted to enjoy the sun, sea and sand only.
It was pretty sad though, seeing the impact on ports.
And in some way, I was glad I'd gone because I saw shops suffering, tour guide suffering
and so on from the lack of visitors and so I could help a bit.
On board, I also saw changes.
Some activities were not running at all, like pool parties and events where there would
be groups of mingling passengers like cocktail parties.
There was only one show time in the evening.
There was sudden changes to the itinerary when BB King's band disappeared after a couple
of nights.
Presumably, I don't know, but I'm assuming they perhaps got COVID.
There were definitely fewer activities.
And some people said there wasn't the buzz and choice of activity they would normally
have and wanted.
Now, I am fine with that because I tend to occupy myself, don't do lots of activities.
But definitely it was a lower key on board.
Hanging over us all the time of course, was the chance that the entire cruise was cancelled.
We saw Mein Schiff at a couple of ports, and when they got to Barbados their cruise was
cancelled because of cases on board which meant there were short of crew and exceeded
numbers to call on other ports.
So, you've got to go knowing that things are going to chop and change.
Did it make a worse experience?
It definitely made it a different experience.
The experience in the ports was different.
However, I still got to go to the beach.
I got to experience the sea, the sun, the sand.
And that was what I was looking for.
However, if you are going to go for more party boats experience or self-exploring, exploring
markets, then you may be disappointed.
But for me, I did find it incredibly relaxing.
So, I would recommend if a specific destination is key, you want to go to St. Kitts, you want
to go to particular port or do a specific excursion then do not go on a cruise right
now because the chance of it not have happening is there.
If there're certain activities that you really want to do, or a certain show you want to
see on board, or you want to be able to play bridge or do the crafts again, rethink going.
If mixing is really important to you, meeting new people.
Again, that might be more subdued.
If you want an experience like you used to have, then going now and for a while is not
going to happen.
For me, I was happy I got what I wanted which was to get away to have some sun, sea and
sand.
So, think if that is enough.
Which left me with that third big challenge and question, and one I would recommend you
too consider carefully.
The big issue was: did this cruise feel like it was good value for money?
It's cost the same as cruising before the pandemic and in a so-called “normal” cruise
time when everything was open on and off the ship, and the only disruption was going to
be if weather was not letting us get into a port.
I got what I wanted.
I wanted to get away, get some rest, and escape European winter.
I wasn't looking for a big high energy stuff on the ship.
I got great service because we had about 30% capacity.
I got to know the crew much more.
I got to eat good food.
I got to see beautiful sunsets at sea.
I got to be at sea.
I got to enjoy a great cabin.
I felt I got good value.
However, I can see why many people wouldn’t feel they had.
There was no discount for what was missing.
If you are thinking of a once-in-a-lifetime cruise or the cruise is your only vacation
this year, stop and think very carefully.
You're going to get many of the great things of cruising, but it is going to be a different
and more uncertain experience.
And you need to be prepared to be flexible and roll with the way things play out.
You need to understand you could find yourself isolated if test positive or quarantined if
a close contact.
Was I pleased that I came?
Absolutely.
Would I do it again?
Absolutely.
In fact, at the time of recording this, at the end of this cruise I'm home for a week,
and then I'm due to cruise again.
In the Caribbean, on a Panama Canal cruise on Oceania and my plan is still to do that.
If this has helped or given you something to think about, why not watch this video where???