Posted on 07/09/2020 1:06:32 PM PDT by Capt. Tom
FCO advises against cruise ship travel
Statement follows advice in March about over 70s and chronically ill
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has released a statement advising against cruise ship travel.
The move is being seen as the government reinforcing the message that the cruise industry is not part of the wider travel industry being opened up from tomorrow.
“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.
“The government will continue to review its cruise ship travel advice based on the latest medical advice. If you have future cruise travel plans, you should speak to your travel operator, or the travel company you booked with, for further advice.
“The Foreign & Commonwealth Office continues to support the Department for Transport’s work with industry for the resumption of international cruise travel.”
It is not clear whether the FCO advice also includes river cruises.
The new advice goes further than the FCO’s previous recommendation that over 70s and those with underlying chronic health conditions do not cruise.
In a statement, Clia said: “We have noted the advisory issued today. The health and safety of guests and crew is an absolute priority for our member lines. Since the voluntary suspension of operations, we have been working collaboratively with the Government on the road map to resumption involving a ‘door to door’ strategy – from the time of booking through to the passengers’ return home – with enhanced health protocols. We look forward to completing this planning exercise with Government and for the advice to be updated.”
Well my recent cruise ship posts have been pointing out the absolute power these health organizations worldwide including our CDC has over cruise ships.
Based on what I have seen in the last 4 months or so, many health organizations appear to be inept and incompetent in understanding and handling the coronavirus.
The cruise industry is at the mercy of these organizations, as are we citizens, and it appears these health organizations are going to bankrupt many businesses including the worldwide cruise industry.
With a few weeks our CDC will come up with new regulations for cruise ships , and this Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) tougher line on cruise ships might be in our future.-Tom
When I look at the incompetence of the UNWHO and our CDC ,I think we would know more factual info on the corona virus if we randomly picked a non health organization like Boeing Aircraft, and said we are going to give you the money to hire and interview any and all the medical people you feel are needed to figure out this virus. -Tom
I know the owner of a travel agency. She said that the requirements of a Covid test within 72 hours of doing anything is ridiculous. Also multiple tests can be required while on the cruise before going ashore. She is not recommending any cruises. Normally she goes on cruises four or five times a year. She has stopped entirely.
You could get exposed to Covid on any flight and end up trapped almost anywhere. Also, the cruises are making passengers wear a mask full time.
The cruise business is not going to be around very long.
One hell of a curse, thank you ChiComs.
we all need a cruise for the sake of our mental health...
Bic pens or Kellogg's Cereal might be more reliable.
The cruise business is not going to be around very long.
In England if you go on a cruise against the Health Organization's warning not to go , and you get screwed up your TRAVEL INSURANCE will not cover it.
I would not be surprised if American Travel Insurers don't have the same exclusions. -Tom
Capt. Tom wrote: “When I look at the incompetence of the UNWHO and our CDC...”
This isn’t incompetence, it is budgetary politics. This is a replay of the HIV scare of the 1980s when the CDC warned daily of a rampant spread of HIV through the hetrosexual population. The CDC knew this wasn’t happening but they knew the best way to increase their budgets was to scare the heterosexual population into believing they were at risk.
Cruise insurance specifically denies pandemic coverage. Once WHO declared it a pandemic all travel insurance became invalid.
I have been holding off on questioning my Travel agent about the cruise business, until after the CDCs next cruise ship regulations come out ,which should be coming in a few weeks.
If the CDC Regulations are more stringent, I would not be surprised if she goes out of business. - Tom
“I would not be surprised if she goes out of business.”
The way the commissions work, the agent only gets paid when the customer sails. My friend has already decided to go out of business as she is not booking any cruises, which means her income next year will be zero. She has to keep at it until the end of her contract or she owes the agency she works through money. So. yes. Look for most travel agents to go out of the business when their current contract is up. This ends the travel business as it was, probably forever.
I decided to check with my travel agent today an she says they are looking at a week to week review of what to do with the business.-Tom
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