FCO updates advice for cruise ship travel 9/7/20

[Gill W]

The FCO has updated its advice for cruise ship travel, and its not good news.

'The Foreign & Commonwealth Office advises against cruise ship travel at this time. This is due to the ongoing pandemic and is based on medical advice from Public Health England'

So it's not just the over 70's now, it's everyone

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cruise-ship-travel

P & O's social media response

We acknowledge the FCO’s guidance and P&O Cruises had already extended the pause in operations for all sailings up to October 15, 2020.

Our current focus is to work in partnership with public health agencies at the highest level as well as Department for Transport; EU Healthy Gateways and CLIA, the industry governing body. We will follow applicable guidelines to further enhance our already stringent measures to keep our guests and crew healthy and well and we will not resume sailings until this framework is in place. This will include rigorous protocols pre-boarding, on ship and in the destinations we visit.

Confidence in cruising is strong and we are seeing increasing demand from our guests, who we look forward to welcoming back on board when the time is right'.

[gilly88]

will we...wont we, be going in early December? we await our fate. or refund, which ever is the outcome.

[david63]

But equally it is also saying, on the same page, that all but essential international travel is to be avoided apart from the listed countries.

I cannot see any difference in the wording of the cruise ship part than was there before and as most cruise lines are not sailing until October it really does not matter.

My guess is that that advice will change late August/early September when the Covid-19 alert level is reduced to 2

[Manoverboard]

My guess is that that advice will change late August/early September when the Covid-19 alert level is reduced to 2

What would happen if there was a imposed ' Lockdown ' in Southampton rather than Leicester lets say ?

[Quizzical Bob]

It's very easy to advise againgst something that is not possible.

[Gill W]

But equally it is also saying, on the same page, that all but essential international travel is to be avoided apart from the listed countries.

I cannot see any difference in the wording of the cruise ship part than was there before and as most cruise lines are not sailing until October it really does not matter.

My guess is that that advice will change late August/early September when the Covid-19 alert level is reduced to 2

Previously the advice was for over 70's not to travel on cruise ships. The wording about over 70's has been removed. So now the advice refers to all. That seems like a big change to me.

Everything that happens on land regarding social distancing would have to happen on cruise ships, and be applied even more rigorously as a closed community like a ship is a prime breeding ground for viruses.

This morning, I went for a coffee at my local garden centre. It was a very different experience. Our names and phone numbers were taken at the podium, the queue was socially distant, there was a limited amount of food available and most striking of all, many tables and chairs had been removed so that we could sit a distance from each other. That's just one simple activity - even the theatres haven't yet been able to work out how to open safely, so I really struggle to see how a meaningful cruise experience will be able to happen. At the very least, they'd have to run at a vastly reduced capacity to cope with the requirements of social distancing.

Even if the alert level goes down to 2, the virus is still there, so we are going to have to live in a social distanced world for a long while yet. I can't see for the life of me how cruising will happen any time soon.

[Gill W]

My guess is that that advice will change late August/early September when the Covid-19 alert level is reduced to 2

What would happen if there was a imposed ' Lockdown ' in Southampton rather than Leicester lets say ?

Good point. Even if they can get the cruise experience sorted out, there's still so many variables that could throw a spanner in the works.

[Mervyn and Trish]

No surprise there. The things they can do in hotel to reduce risk are impossible on a cruise ship.

[Onelife]

If anyone is interested in a short break I've got a tin can for hire.... all I ask is that you let the chickens in when it gets dark

[Mervyn and Trish]

Which room do they sleep in?

[Onelife]

Which room do they sleep in?

I didn't say it was a posh...its two bedroomed but one I keep for the chicken feed…if you’re interested, and can put up with the smell, I’m happy to give you mates rates.

Btw… it featured on BBC 1 “Escape to the Country” not so long back.....you should feel right at home

[towny44]

No surprise there. The things they can do in hotel to reduce risk are impossible on a cruise ship.

Such as?

[Manoverboard]

No surprise there. The things they can do in hotel to reduce risk are impossible on a cruise ship.

Such as?

Inactivating lifts or putting ' Follow the Arrows ' signs up in the garden

[Gill W]

They could make the passenger corridors one way.

Port side could be in a 'fore' direction and starboard could be in an 'aft' direction.

Passengers would have to plan their routes back to their cabin. Not that passengers would keep to it, of course. They'd be going the wrong way all the time because it would be too confusing or they'd think it didn't apply to them. Whatever cruise companies eventually put in place, one of the weak spots is always going to be the end user - the passenger

[Mervyn and Trish]

No surprise there. The things they can do in hotel to reduce risk are impossible on a cruise ship.

Such as?

Good question, as I suppose my gut response might have seemed a bit trite.

However, in addition to Moby's valid points I would say it depends on the sort of hotels you choose.

In our case we would never choose a hotel which accommodated 1,000 guests or 2,000, 3,000 or more. So the first issue is simply one of the personal space available per guest. So if they have to manage that space to enable social distancing there are more options.

We would also never choose an all-inclusive hotel and expect it to provide for all our needs for a fortnight. So, for example, we might have breakfast in and some days evening meal. But we wouldn't be there for three meals a day and neither would the other guests be. So mealtimes would not be crowded. Most of the hotels we stay in could remove half the tables from the dining room and still accommodate everyone who wanted to dine comfortably.

We would be out enjoying the wider spaces and choice of eateries our destination offered. If one looked too crowded we'd choose another. Fewer choices on a ship.

The hotels we choose to stay at don't have sunbeds crammed side by side round the pool. They have much more outside space. So again they can socially distance more easily. Imagine the riot if a cruise ship removed sufficient sunbeds to leave the remainder 2m apart!

At the extreme hotels don't have sea days where everyone has to say in, indoors if it's raining. You know how crowded public spaces can get on those days. The only option might be to confine passengers to cabins and only let them out on a rota. In a hotel there's always somewhere you can go out on a wet day.

If you do get seriously ill at a hotel the hospital is at hand and never needs a helicopter transfer. Worst case scenario specialists and intensive care units are available. Hotels are not expected to manage their own intensive care patients.

So even before the hotel takes any precautions it is inherently safer. And with more space it is much easier to ramp it up.

[Mervyn and Trish]

They could make the passenger corridors one way.

Port side could be in a 'fore' direction and starboard could be in an 'aft' direction.

Passengers would have to plan their routes back to their cabin. Not that passengers would keep to it, of course. They'd be going the wrong way all the time because it would be too confusing or they'd think it didn't apply to them. Whatever cruise companies eventually put in place, one of the weak spots is always going to be the end user - the passenger

As is demonstrated by the inability of cruise passengers to follow basic hygiene in the event of Noro!

And of course some ships have only one main end to end thoroughfare on public decks. Think Deck 7 on Azura/Ventura for example. Arguably wider but think of the crowds when the first sitting are heading for the theatre after dinner and the second sitting are going the other way. Okay in principle but fraught I suspect in reality.

[david63]

They could make the passenger corridors one way.

Not possible on most ships as at the front and back there is no corridor that goes round.

Port side could be in a 'fore' direction and starboard could be in an 'aft' direction.

They can't even do that on the Prom deck where there are signs saying which way to go!

[Gill W]

We would also never choose an all-inclusive hotel and expect it to provide for all our needs for a fortnight. So, for example, we might have breakfast in and some days evening meal. But we wouldn't be there for three meals a day and neither would the other guests be. So mealtimes would not be crowded. Most of the hotels we stay in could remove half the tables from the dining room and still accommodate everyone who wanted to dine comfortably.

On a local news programme, I saw a hotel had set up a dining table in each room, to give the guests the option of dining in their room if they wished. It was the full dining experience, with a beautifully set table.

Apart from people in a suite, I cant see that being replicated on a cruise ship, as there wouldn't be room for a dining table in cabins. I don't really want to eat my evening meal perched on the bed or at the dressing table.

At the garden centre yesterday, we had coffee, and a huge amount of tables had been removed for adequate social distancing. If cruises get going again, I can't see any option than them sailing at vastly reduced capacity, as they can't expect people to be holed up in their cabins until it's their time to be allowed out - that would not be holiday freedom!

[david63]

Talking about "one way" systems that people should use it was interesting today that at Tesco they had removed the one way system around the shop and actually everything flowed much better.

[Mervyn and Trish]

At the garden centre yesterday, we had coffee, and a huge amount of tables had been removed for adequate social distancing.

We had our first socially distanced coffee yesterday at one of our favourite restaurants and they'd done the same. We opted for a semi open air courtyard area but both there and inside it felt comfortable and safe. To the owner's credit they'd not wasted lockdown. They'd got on and done some refurbishment that would have been very difficult with the place open.

Encouragingly even on market day, normally very busy in our little town, people were being sensible and it wasn't bonkers.

[Gill W]

At the garden centre yesterday, we had coffee, and a huge amount of tables had been removed for adequate social distancing.

We had our first socially distanced coffee yesterday at one of our favourite restaurants and they'd done the same. We opted for a semi open air courtyard area but both there and inside it felt comfortable and safe. To the owner's credit they'd not wasted lockdown. They'd got on and done some refurbishment that would have been very difficult with the place open.

Encouragingly even on market day, normally very busy in our little town, people were being sensible and it wasn't bonkers.

We sat inside, but near an open door so there was a good flow of air.

It is very encouraging to go out and see that people are being sensible..

For our next venture, we may go to the local shopping centre on Monday. M&S Sparks have given me £25 in vouchers, so I want to have a look round. We'd go early, so hopefully it will be quiet

[Whynd1]

Just used mine on line Gill.

[Manoverboard]

We have one eye on a pub that has an outside marquee with tables at a seeemingly safe distance but have yet to summon up the courage to book. Probably due to the reports of pubs being closed down due to positive testings albeit not in our area.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I also had a little trip to B&Q for some bits I needed for a project. No queue to get in and very civilised inside. It was one of their warehouse type places so very big and spacious.

[Manoverboard]

I also had a little trip to B&Q for some bits I needed for a project. No queue to get in and very civilised inside. It was one of their warehouse type places so very big and spacious.

I need to go there too, it's deffo a time to take a list with one and for me to have Mobietta on a tight leash so she can't buy all their plants and garden pots