Wise to book cruises for 2022?

Wouldn't think of booking a cruise yet.
We had a cruise booked for Jan 21 which was cancelled and two last year which were cancelled.
One cruise was cancelled and we were stranded in the Indian Ocean so don't want a repeat of that.
Only just received all our refunds, what a year trying to get the money back, complete nightmare experience.
I think the cruise ships need to change the air conditioning bringing clean air in from outside before we would consider booking.
This will be expensive for the industry but passengers need to feel they are safe.

A few are saying the river cruises are safer but I am not so sure. On one of the river cruises we went on, Budapest to Amsterdam, there was a woman with a bad flu coughing and sneezing. We both caught it and so did half the others on board. I have never caught anything on a sea cruise . The ships are so huge which is an advantage if you want to get away from someone !

We still have a large (for us) deposit with a cruise company. It can be used up to 24 months after our cancelled cruise. That would be up to Spring/early summer 2022. It was to have been a big trip. Our thinking is to just use up the deposit to pay for the majority of a shorter river cruise instead of an ocean one but we're really not sure.

I like cruising but a lot of Americans go on cruises and they really are not coping with the virus so are more likely to spread it. If it was Australians and New Zealanders only I would certainly go but it isn’t going to happen.

That's why I won't cruise in the foreseeable future unfortunately. The experience will not be what we have enjoyed in the past. We know with Covid precautions self service buffets will not be on the menu and and neither will the ability to join tables with others be possible. So no I won' be booking in 2022 yet.

self-service buffet dining

I wondered about the safety of that too Ellianne. I'm not at all sure I'd want to eat from a self service buffet where dozens of other people have breathed all over the food, picked up the same spoons and serving forks and put them back and touched the sides of the tables. I can't see how that can possibly be COVID safe.

self-service buffet dining
I'm intrigued as to how this will work on cruises in future. I would think twice now about picking up serving spoons touched by dozens of other people. Will there be waiter service only?

yes, Calli, the value judgement was on the subject of the OP- eg the timing of booking in relation to Covid.

We had 3 cruises cancelled in 2020. For 2 we took refunds the other, cruise credit plus 25% bonus. Rebooked for July 2021 - Norwegian Fjords. I doubt this will happen so will take a refund and book when things are more certain. If cruise prices are high we will take the hit as we have saved on lack of holidays during lock down. I also want the experience to once again include the chance to socialise and self-service buffet dining to be an option.

The idea of a massive cruiseship with Covid in the background just does not bear thinking about.
As Visgril says 'floating petri dishes' yuk.

As value judgements go, that one must be a 10 on a scale of 1-10! ???

I'm not thinking of booking anything as yet - I want to see my family near and far before anything but we will wait and see what happens first.

and I understand that totally- my comment about THIS year, holidaying would be self drive and self catered- was about this current context and not a value judgement at all, as some took it unfortunately.

I always enjoy the planning and imagining. We used to book far in advance so we things to look forward to. Meanwhile I'm enjoying the brochures and websites!

My husband and I love cruising and he keeps informing me of upcoming cruises and I know he would like to go on one again. However, even though I have had my first vaccination and my husband hasn’t, I am not wanting to cruise any time soon.

Might be as much planning as we can contemplate!

The Telegraph had a Cruise supplement yesterday with dates well into 2023. Can’t see the point at the moment wondering how things will be so far ahead,

Prior to COVId I was asked to provide proof of Vaccines taken when I accepted a post in the NHS. My GP provided a print out. I suspect going forward this will be the case for many services and also made available via the NHS app.

Better than I can!!
I have a few scars to prove it.

40s? Och they're bairns. Keep an eye. Can they be trusted round hot cookers?

Actually, I should clarify. They're not that young - 40s?
But younger than us.
And very good at organising

It isn't a regular occurrence, Jane10 but there is one pencilled in for this summer.

?

Callistemon Gosh.

Chewbacca I agree - the idea of a holiday is to get away from Real Life and the humdrum of thinking about the catering etc.
Even if you can go out for dinner or have a takeaway.
And I enjoy meeting new people and listening to their stories and experiences.

I have, however, enjoyed large family get togethers when the young people did the organising and cooking!

kittylester

I'm not old enough to go on a Saga Cruise

I agree with you chewbacca.

Cheeky

We loved the river cruises in France and Germany. Just step off the boat into a little village. We just enjoyed wandering about having a coffee and watching the world go by. The Americans seemed to need to rush off sight seeing.
No need for forced socialisation btw. Its as friendly as you want to make it. However, river cruising does seem to attract people with much in common.

The more I read of river cruises, the more it appeals. Just have to convince DH who abhors the idea of having to socialise aboard a floating prison. I will be calling on those in the know for advice on here. I have now sown the seed and chances are, by the time it takes me to convince him we will hopefully be nearer the end of the covid tunnel.

We have sailed many times, west coast of Scotland mainly, being our stomping ground but other occasions, round the islands. Breathtakingly beautiful but I am warming to the idea of river cruises to visit other countries’ scenery. May/early June sounds perfect kitty.