Who can forget the Diamond Princess? The luxury cruise ship became an unfortunate symbol of the
COVID-19 pandemic when, in February 2020, passengers began getting sick. The ship
was quarantined for two weeks, but during that time more than 700 people on board became ill,
some of them even dying from the strange new virus that nobody yet understood.
After the Diamond Princess’s outbreak made the news, governments around the world became afraid
of letting other ships dock. The Howard America Line cruise MS Westerdam also got stuck in limbo,
it was refused docking in four different countries! The Philippines, Japan, Guam,
and Thailand all turned the ship away until Cambodia finally allowed Westerdam to disembark.
Yet at the end of 2021, early pandemic fears seemed to disappear. Instead,
many began planning vacations and dreaming of escaping the all-too-familiar walls of our home
offices. Going on a cruise, once again, became a possibility. Cruise companies were happily
announcing the official return of travel, and people were eagerly buying up discounted tickets,
aching to get back to their favorite vacation plans and leaving travel restrictions behind.
In a cruel twist of fate, the 2-year anniversary of the Diamond Princess incident
seems like it will arrive in a world where luxury liners are once again standing by
docked in empty ports. The Omicron variant has upended hopes of travel, and many cruise
tickets purchased months ago will go unused. The last two months have already given us deja vu,
with headlines recounting outbreaks on popular cruises in Florida, New Orleans, and Portugal.
But should those cruise plans be canceled? If you want to find out more about the current
state of the cruising industry in early 2022, you’ll want to listen closely. In this video,
we’ve compiled all the information you need to know when getting ready to go on a cruise.
Join ViewCation as we look at the current state of cruises and the safety tips you
may wish to keep in mind as you embark on unknown waters. Make sure that you watch
until the end and learn how to assess if you might want to cancel that trip or not.
Constant Changes Don't pay your dog
sitter just yet. Even if your cruise is supposed to take off in two days,
there might be some last-minute changes. If the pandemic has taught us anything,
it's that the whole world may be upended at a moment's notice. Be prepared for changes
of any kind: delays, cancellations, itinerary shifts, or additional testing requirements.
If you are not comfortable with the prospect of constant changes before
or even during your cruise, consider skipping out on an early 2022 adventure. While pre-pandemic
cruises may have been as predictable as a newly wound clock, the game has changed.
Some of the most popular cruises have already been canceled as of early January,
with the Royal Caribbean dropping three trips and postponing a fourth to March.
Even if you are planning to travel with a different company, the cruising
industry tends to have similar responses to the pandemic and changing regulations,
so if all the cruises close to your departure date are being canceled that may be a red flag.
Protect Your Wallet While many cruise companies try
to accommodate travelers affected by sudden changes, you should still take precautions
to protect the money you’ve spent. First of all, book flexible tickets,
as fully refundable cancellations will save you the extra money you’ll spend on the fare.
Second, buy travel insurance for yourself and your family. Make sure to read the terms carefully,
including what the policy covers and the process for filing a claim. Some travel
insurance policies seem appealing until you realize that getting your
claim processed is nearly impossible with excessive evidence requirements.
Boredom
The great resignation did not pass the oceans by. Cruises these days are often short-staffed,
with crew members leaving their jobs or even having to quarantine on little notice.
With these staffing shortages, a lot of activities might not be available.
Approach your cruise more like a long plane ride, packing enough entertainment options in
your luggage that both you and your kids are happy even if there’s nothing to do
on board. Plan to relax by the pool and enjoy the slow pace of watching the ocean waters pass on by.
Have a plan B in the worst-case scenario of needing to quarantine on board. If confined
to your cabin, you won't be able to rely on the ambience of the cruise or pop into the casino,
so stock up on electronics and the books you've been telling
yourself you'd read for the past three months. Don't forget to get
the kids their own headphones either to keep everyone's sanity in check.
The crew may be able to bring you some board games, but you may want to stock up on your
own supply instead. After all, Royal Caribbean may not stock your favorite Monopoly spinoff or your
heirloom edition of Operation. Safety
The hottest vacation accessory this season is a stylish N95 mask.
Popular cruise liners like those run by the Royal Caribbean have established indoor mask mandates,
so if you want to avoid quarantining in your tiny cabin with a fever the entire time you might want
to bring the best protection available. To get on a cruise you also need to get a
negative COVID test. With many PCR sites clogged by long lines from dawn to dusk,
you might want to try and get your hands on a home test instead. But even home
kits sell out quickly, so you might want to order one well ahead of time.
Make sure that the test you take is approved by your cruise company to avoid nasty surprises!
If you need to fly to get to your cruise, try to reduce your exposure to other people.
If any flights tend to be less crowded, you might want to book them even if they depart
at an inconvenient time. Turn the air blower above your seat to maximum strength, and avoid
taking off your mask as much as possible, perhaps even skipping on an in-flight meal.
Don’t forget to check in on your home location’s travel restrictions. Safety regulations don’t end
with the cruise, and you don’t want to be hit with a nasty surprise at the end of your trip.
Enjoy the Shore Going on a cruise still means getting to
visit cool locations along the way. If you want to enjoy sightseeing but are afraid of getting sick,
you can try to opt out for outdoor activities. Some cruise stops offer hikes, beach days,
bike rides, or other outdoor tours! Just make sure that you look into the relevant local guidelines
beforehand and take your mask if needed. Do keep in mind that since the Omicron
outbreak began, some cruise ships were banned from disembarking onshore. The Mexican government
has been avoiding risks of spread with cruise ships that had any confirmed positive cases,
rejecting ships before deciding on a strict safety protocol
and quarantine procedures for any symptomatic or positive travelers.
Take Advantage of Upgrades While so many cancellations may
scare you off traveling, if you choose to go ahead with the trip you might as well reap the benefits.
Fewer people on a ship means there are more cabins available, making upgrades to luxury
accommodations more affordable than ever! Lower occupancy rates also mean that while
there are fewer events, it might actually be easier to get into them. You might even
luck into getting the best spots by the pool without having to wake up at the crack of dawn.
Cruise companies are also running fantastic deals to encourage travelers to go ahead with
their plans. Princess Cruises, the company behind the infamous Diamond Princess voyage,
is polishing up its reputation with offers that include 50% off cruise deposits, free WiFi, cabin
upgrades, upgraded drink packages, and decreased prices. Royal Caribbean is also promising 30%
off its packages with additional discounts for many of this year’s voyages.
Consider Delaying Your Trip All that said, cruises are not
the same experience right now as they were pre-pandemic. If you are afraid of becoming
another news headline or simply having a subpar time onboard, consider canceling your trip.
The CDC has already issued an updated warning for passengers to avoid all cruise voyages even
if they are vaccinated. The alert, which was posted in late December last year,
mentioned that 88 ships were being examined for not following correct safety protocols.
According to the Washington Post U.S. cruises have confirmed over 5,000 COVID cases between
December 15 and December 29 of last year, with those figures reportedly being even higher in
January. Travelers are complaining of subpar quarantine accommodations and worries of being
stuck at sea are returning with full swing, calling to mind the winter of 2020 yet again.
Maybe this vacation is better spent walking your dog after all.
Conclusion That wraps up our overview of what you
should expect when taking a cruise in early 2022. Have you decided to go ahead with your plans or
will you stay at home? Whatever you choose, let us know in the comments and tell us why. And if
this video helped you prepare for your trip, make sure to hit the like button and subscribe
to ViewCation for more videos about travel and world destinations in the pandemic and beyond!