EBTA 2021. The canary in the coal mine...

[Birdie dog]

I was scheduled on the 2020 EBTA and was so excited for the trip. I knew cancellation was coming and held rooms on the 2021 EBTA instead. When DCL cancelled, I moved all my funds to next years cruise and consoled myself that next year's trip was "free" (at least pretty much paid for). Well, now I'm pondering the fate of even the 2021 sailing. I have zero doubt that all European sailings will be cancelled this summer. With some countries limping out of their "peak" I don't see the US and our now 2million plus cases as being welcomed. So, the next European DCL (in my mind) will be the 2021 EBTA.

Although I'm hopeful that by next year, we'll have a better handle on the virus, I don't think we'll have a vaccine yet. And although I hope that by 2021, the world will be in process of opening up, I don't know that cruise ships- especially long haul cruises from other continents- will be allowed until a vaccine is in place.

I plan on keeping my reservation until final payment day. If some headway has been made, and travel has resumed to something resembling normal, I'll keep the trip. If not, I'll cancel and plan a flight and hotel stay somewhere in Europe. I can't believe I'm already considering issues with a 2021 trip. But, if I'm correct and it's DCL's first trip in Europe since 2019, I'm not expecting totally smooth sailing.

 

[smmco]

There’s already numerous threads on this subject.

 

[Birdie dog]

I'll look, I haven't seen any.

 

[harriet2]

I was scheduled on the 2020 EBTA and was so excited for the trip. I knew cancellation was coming and held rooms on the 2021 EBTA instead. When DCL cancelled, I moved all my funds to next years cruise and consoled myself that next year's trip was "free" (at least pretty much paid for). Well, now I'm pondering the fate of even the 2021 sailing. I have zero doubt that all European sailings will be cancelled this summer. With some countries limping out of their "peak" I don't see the US and our now 2million plus cases as being welcomed. So, the next European DCL (in my mind) will be the 2021 EBTA.

Although I'm hopeful that by next year, we'll have a better handle on the virus, I don't think we'll have a vaccine yet. And although I hope that by 2021, the world will be in process of opening up, I don't know that cruise ships- especially long haul cruises from other continents- will be allowed until a vaccine is in place.

I plan on keeping my reservation until final payment day. If some headway has been made, and travel has resumed to something resembling normal, I'll keep the trip. If not, I'll cancel and plan a flight and hotel stay somewhere in Europe. I can't believe I'm already considering issues with a 2021 trip. But, if I'm correct and it's DCL's first trip in Europe since 2019, I'm not expecting totally smooth sailing.

Not sure what issue you think there will be because they miss one year? A lot of the EBTA ports, are ports they only visit one time a year anyway (or are completely new)

 

[Karin1984]

At the moment it's useless to think about what will happen four-six weeks from now. To worry that your cruise 1,5 years from now will be 'the canary in the coal mine' is a bit too early.

If Europe is not going to allow international cruise ships by then, then almost certain the EU will not allow international tourists in general, so I would think of somewhere else for a back up plan.