The Coronavirus is currently battering cruise lines on multiple fronts.
Travelers currently booked on cruises are concerned. “Is it safe to cruise?”
Those considering a cruise are concerned as well: “Maybe we’ll put that off.”
Sailing now: “Is it safe to go ashore?”

Let’s look at three issues:

True: the closed-environment of a cruise, the part that has forever been a big safe-travel selling point, is under fire. The close proximity of passengers to one another increases the likelihood of airborne sickness. But let’s not go overboard here. Once on the ship after enhanced screening procedures, there are likely far fewer sick people on the ship than other places people gather.

True: no matter how much cruise line scrub their ships, sick people on it will make others sick. But let’s not go overboard here either. I can catch something from the uncovered sneeze of the person ahead of me in line at the grocery store. Remember too: sick people were not allowed to board in the first place.

True: staying home is probably more safe. But you’ll want to stay away from places where others gather. Movies are a bad idea. Sporting events are likely an issue. Likewise, let’s not go overboard here too. We can do that for a while but eventually we’ll need contact with other humans. I sure don’t want to wait a year or more for a vaccine.

So what to do?

My Suggestion: Press Pause

Unless you are set to sail in less than a week, I’d brush up on safe travel tips, keep an eye on the news but plan on going. Less than a week or so, you probably already made your decision. For the rest of us: press pause and let this story play out. Know full well that news organizations will cover this topic like a blanket until it is all but eradicated…well past when an actual threat to our personal safety exists.

Still, you have some work to do right now:

• Contact Your Travel Agent- Touch base to find out the current status of your booking, the cancellation policy that applies and the details of your travel insurance, if purchased.
• No Travel Agent? Contact The Cruise Line- Voice your concern, get the name of who you talked to and their contact information if possible. It’s helpful to deal with one person if you can.
• Consider Yourself- While much of what is happening with the Coronavirus is up in the air, some elements are common. Elderly and/or less hearty travelers are at a greater risk here.

Concern? Appropriate
Going Overboard With A Rush To Cancel. Premature at this point.

Again, the options:

To Travel Or Not To Travel?

At the end of the day, the choice whether to sail or cancel may be a personal one, subject to each individual’s comfort level with the unknown. We’ll have more information to help each traveler make that decision soon…but right now this situation is developing rapidly. So what to do right now?

1. Nothing- It would be premature to cancel a sailing 30 days or more into the future. We just don’t know enough to make that call today.
2. Know Your Options– If you purchased travel insurance with a “cancel for any reason” option, know the procedure for doing just that.
3. But Wait- Cruise lines are already starting to offer the opportunity to move your sailing forward. Viking Cruises, for example, allows moving a booking forward as late as a day before scheduled embarkation.
4. No Travel Insurance? All Is Not Lost- Cruise line bookings are currently coming in a good 50% lower than normal. Deals will be coming to keep you sailing with your favorite cruise line.
5. Continue To Trust Cruise Lines- One of the biggest selling points for cruises is the mobile nature of their assets. This usually comes into play with there are different dangers on a given itinerary. Cruise lines can and do move ships out of harm’s way and not just when a hurricane is coming.
6. Reality Check- Lisa and I were talking this morning and we agreed: if we were really fearing for our lives, we would not sail even if it meant losing what was paid for a cruise. You do have that optio