One of our river cruise groups on the Rhine
New cruise regulations are here. Below is a post from 2013 in which we were helping you decide if a cruise is for you. It is time to edit this post with 2020 cruise health precautions. Firstly you should know that cruises are ‘regulated’ by an international organization of which a US organizationn is one of 9 members. However, most cruise lines are not licensed in the US, so regulations apply because they dock here or because CLIA has been so effective.
The CDC states that cruise ships are required to charter planes and fly home passengers or crew once they land in the US. As of April there were still 114 ships afloat with 93,000 crew on board near US ports and waters.
Generally disembarkation will be slower with more precautions. More medical intervention and testing will be added to cruise medical facilities.
GOOD NEWS. Passengers over 70 will not need to bring a doctor’s note that says they are ‘fit to sail’. However if a passenger misleads the cruise about health, they can be disembarked at the next port and even face legal consequences.
Bottom line, the cruise industry will need a lot of investment and we will pay for it. Second bottom line, cruise bookings for 2021 are way up, in part to more flexible cancellation terms and lower deposits or credits for missed trips this year. Apparently many like the new cruise regulations and are comfortable with cruise safety.
For more contact our group. Disclosure, we specialize in land tours and an occasional special river cruise. Look at our tours here. Have fun with a video from one of our cruises on Instagram.
=============== 2013 post.
I must admit I am not much of a cruiser but the headlines about Carnival’s ship and the Costa crash last year (also a Carnival subsidiary) are real turn offs. At least a river cruise floats near the shore, allows you to have a stroll when docked in towns, and has small numbers of passengers. We hope to add a Christmas Markets river cruise if we can secure the space for end November 2013. Keep in touch with us for future updates.
Quick questions to pose before you book:
Exactly where does the ship dock? Central location? Near Public Transportation?
Is there planned meal seating? How awkward is it to change if you are stuck with awful people? Can you get room service for a meal you wish to miss? Does the in cabin TV broadcast in English? How often does the ship make loud public announcements?
Is there smoking on board ( smoking means a European crowd buys this trip).
