Posted on 01/14/2022 2:39:27 PM PST by Capt. Tom
Windstar Cruises is joining the list of cruise operators canceling soon-to-depart sailings amid the worldwide surge in COVID-19 cases.
The small-ship cruise specialist on Thursday began notifying passengers on upcoming trips that it was pausing operations across most of its fleet through at least Jan. 28.
The pause will affect every Windstar ship currently operating except the Tahiti-based Star Breeze.
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Also canceling a significant number of sailings on Thursday for the first time during the latest surge of COVID-19 cases was British line Fred. Olsen Cruises. The line announced it had delayed the return of one of its four vessels, Balmoral, until May. It said the return of another of its vessels, Braemar, would be delayed even further, to spring of 2023.
In addition, Holland America on Thursday extended previously announced cancellations for one of its 11 ships, Nieuw Amsterdam, into February, and Norwegian Cruise Line canceled sailings through the end of the month on another vessel, Norwegian Breakaway.
Norwegian has now canceled soon-to-depart sailings on 12 of its 17 ships.
Related: Norwegian Cruise Line cancels more sailings amid omicron surge
The cancellations come as cruise lines struggle along with all other types of travel providers to deal with the surge in COVID-19 cases sweeping the world. In the U.S., nearly 900,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday — nearly 10 times the number that were testing positive just a few weeks ago.
While cruise ships have recorded relatively few cases of COVID-19 over the past year, in part due to unusually strict health protocols, the number of passengers and crew testing positive on ships has been rising sharply in recent weeks along with the greater surge on land. The rise in cases on ships has led to disruptions to sailings as some ports have balked at allowing ships to call or tightened entry requirements to a point that has made it difficult for ships to comply.
Some cruise ships also have had to contend with crew shortages that have resulted from the need to isolate crew who have tested positive for COVID-19.
The challenges to operating in such an environment has led a growing number of cruise lines to cancel soon-to-depart sailings in recent days, including Royal Caribbean, Silversea, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises and Oceania Cruises.
Related: Royal Caribbean cancels sailings on four ships
The cancellations announced Thursday by Windstar affect three of its six ships, all based in the Caribbean — Star Legend, Wind Surf and Windstar. Two more of Windstar’s ships — Wind Spirit and Star Pride — were already out of service.
The one ship Windstar is leaving in service for now operates sailings around French Polynesia, where COVID-19 cases currently are notably low. All of French Polynesia recorded just 55 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
In the wake of the cancellations announced Thursday, Fred. Olsen Cruises still will have two of its four vessels operating in the coming months — Bolette and Borealis.
The latest wave of cancellations across the cruise industry are the biggest since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when the entire cruise industry shut down in a matter of days. Most of the world’s major cruise lines remained shut down for well more than a year afterward.
Related: Omicron could fade in ‘weeks,’ former FDA head tells travel industry
For now, there is little talk in the industry of such a widespread shutdown. Even the lines that are canceling sailings have said they expected the ships to be back in operation soon.
After restarting operations around the world over the past year, cruise lines have implemented unusually strict health protocols that go far beyond what is typical at land-based resorts and on airplanes. Many lines require all passengers and crew to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to undergo COVID-19 testing before boarding ships.
A small but growing number of lines in recent days have added a booster shot requirement, too.
In addition, lines often require passengers to wear masks while onboard ships and keep socially distant.
And they just had a fiasco on the Norwegian Gem that is presently returning to port after a covid outbreak, and they will give the passengers a full refund.
Norwegian has to be in economic trouble; but not according to the experts. -Tom
Not good.
If we can trust history in the future, history will be written and show this was the worlds biggest fraud on human beings.
Nobody is dying from Omicron.
Wall Street Journal
19/2022
Omicron Makes Biden’s Vaccine Mandates Obsolete
“Data from Denmark and the Canadian province of Ontario indicate that vaccinated people have higher rates of Omicron infection than unvaccinated people.” More:
“There is no evidence so far that vaccines are reducing infections from the fast-spreading variant. ... there have been mass Omicron outbreaks in heavily vaccinated populations, scientists are highly uncertain the existing vaccines can stop it from spreading. ... there should be sufficient evidence that the vaccine is efficacious in preventing serious infection and/or transmission.” For Omicron, there is as yet no such evidence. ...
The little data we have suggest the opposite. One preprint study found that after 30 days the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines no longer had any statistically significant positive effect against Omicron infection, and after 90 days, their effect went negative—i.e., vaccinated people were more susceptible to Omicron infection. Confirming this negative efficacy finding, data from Denmark and the Canadian province of Ontario indicate that vaccinated people have higher rates of Omicron infection than unvaccinated people.
*1/9/2022
Nobody is dying from Omicron.
I agree. I have said from day one, it's us older people with health problems that should be concerned, and let the rest of the people go about their everyday life. -Tom
Did entropy ever take off on his latest cruise?
He may be too too busy cooking and cleaning to check in :-(
The horror! 😂
I wonder if these cruise line qualify for Covid relief? Might be cheaper for them to not ship out. Just keep the ships in dock, employees unpaid, and collect bailout money.
What a shame.
Unlike the Airlines, these cruise ships are foreign flagged, and can't get any bailout money from this country. - Tom
I’m not a cruise liner sort of guy. I’d charter a sailboat.
My sister seems to love cruises, but being in a floating hotel doesn’t really seem like a vacation to me.
What an opportunity for the Pope. He could probably lease a few of these boats dirt cheap. Why let all those migrants languish at borders , on Greek islands or die trying to cross the Med in flimsy boats. Each cruise ship could transport 4-5,000 in relative comfort to the Pope’s underpopulated native Argentina.
I am booked on Carnival cruise in January and another in February. On the phone their rep told me all Carnival cruise ships will sail as scheduled through March 31st.
But Carnival is offering full refunds to booked passengers who are scared of Omicron.
Are any in danger of becoming a Regency?
Yuge difference between hotel & cruise ship.
Cruise ship has Vegas style stage shows every evening, unlimited eating all day and night, dozen bars some with live music for listening or dancing, movies, swimming pools, hot tubs, large casino, tax free shops, all without driving and hassles of parking, all in one place just a few steps away. Best if all, it is safer by orders of magnitude than a hotel room. Strangers can not walk into a ship. And now every passenger is certified fully vaxxed and checked for negative covid test within 48 hours of sailing. Land hotels and restaurants do not have such stringent covid protocols.
I rescheduled our Caribbean cruise on Celebrity Equinox next Friday to Sept. 8 on the same ship. Not so much out of fear of COVID but I worried about some of our destinations either shutting down or requiring restrictions. In particular Aruba.
True, but I have been sick as a dog for 9 days with this variant.
I had COVID in early 2020, was hospitalized twice from it. It really did a number on my lungs. Never jabbed, won’t take it.
Just got over pneumonia last month and was ready to start 2022 healthy and strong.
Nope. This is kicking my tail.
On a cruise out to sea but don’t see the sea. Sounds fun...
That’s great!
I thought you also had one booked for right about now.
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