And again: COVID-19 update number 13

So, being quite determined to get back onto a cruise ship, my next step was to book a cruise with P&O - just four days, Sydney to Hobart to Sydney, due to leave on 13 February 2022.

I hadn't even finalised paying the deposits for that one when P&O announced that they were cancelling all their cruises that were due to leave up to and including 14 February.  

So, we are now all booked on a three day "Sapphire Coast Food Festival" cruise with P&O, leaving on 25 March 2022 - Sydney to Eden to Sydney.   

I'd say the chances are that this one could be cancelled too, but for now I'm living in hope.

More cancellations and bookings - COVID19 update number 12

Back in July, I was contemplating what to do about the fact that Princess had changed our early 2022 New Zealand cruise into two somewhat less desirable cruises.  Turns out my plan to do nothing was the best option - they've cancelled both the cruises.

So, in our usual fashion, we've booked two more:

• A four night cruise for all three of us Sydney - Eden - Sydney in February 2022 on the Ovation of the Seas.  Not at all sure that this one will go ahead because - just as I wrote back in July - the Commonwealth Govt still has cruise ships completely banned from Australia and still isn't yet doing any formal discussions with the cruise industry about a restart.

• Another New Zealand cruise, leaving Sydney on 4 October 2022 and returning on the 17th.  Not long after we booked this cruise the NZ government announced that cruise ships won't be allowed into NZ before October 2022, so we might be on one of the first cruises into NZ in a couple of years.  Or, it might be cancelled too  :-)

 

Edit 14 October: really, not even worth a separate update.  Royal Caribbean has obviously given up on any chance of the Australian government making a decision about cruises in time for this summer, so our Feb 2022 cruise has just been cancelled.