Will the Cruise Industry even SURVIVE?

[MedicineBow]

Good question. I hope the cruise industry survives as many people enjoy traveling that way. Took my girlfriend on a cruise just before covid and she enjoyed it. Not sure it will ever happen again. Was planning for us to fly to Athens and take a cruise across the Mediterranean sea....maybe one day. Did that many times in the Navy and enjoyed visiting the many ports.

[Physics Hunter]

If I want to cruise, I have a choice of Mustang or Camaro...

[Jen]

I'd need a passport, right? Don't you have to make it least one stop in Canada, like Whitehorse?

Well, I suppose I'd need the passport crossing the border.

I've lived practically my entire life within 200 miles of either the Canadian or Mexican border, and never been to either foriegn country.

Only been to eight U.S. states, two east of the Mississippi.

You'd probably have to have a passport now. We did it in 2001 before 9/11 so we didn't need anything. We had papers for our cats and they didn't even ask for that. I was a little miffed.

We stopped in Tok, Alaska; Whitehorse, Yukon; Northern Rockies Lodge in BC; and 3 or 4 more towns along the way. It took us a week because we only drove in daylight and it got dark before 4pm. Two of our sons did the same drive but the other direction a few years later and it was in the summer so it took much less time. It's about 2300 miles. The mountains were absolutely stunning.

If you like to fish, they fly you from the lodge to a lake (that can't be reached except by that little plane)....

[JMWinPR]

I've been on several, one repositioning. They are enjoyable. Met one of the crew from another boat in Cozumel. That was even more fun. She was from Torino. AAR the ships officers belong to the cruise line, everyone else Chefs, stewards, salon, all work for a private contractor. Hers was from England. I see two or three a month heading from San Juan to St T. Used to be every night. I think the industry will survive, but the monster 5000 passenger ships will be a thing of the past. Have some friends who boarded a Royal Caribbean boat for a 4 day 5 night trip south to the ABC's (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) and vicinity. The offered "packages" are OK, but is better to research and make your own plans. The local package tours are little more than bribes to specific venues. The bribes being paid to the crewmember giving the presentation.

[East of the Beast]

For your sake I hope so...As for me I wouldn't step foot on a cruise ship if you paid me. I'm a land lubber.

[ruthless terrier]

Now, there is one long boat ride that I want to make before I die - the Alaska Marine Highway route from Bellingham, WA to Ketchikan Alaska.

Ketchikan is a tourist trap. Go to Sitka (Baranof) Island if you can.

[Common]

I can swim and loved to swim, that is not the issue, I do not get seasick that is not the issue.

I am very leery of cruise ships, I read a local guy from Keywests article about his having worked over 20 yrs in the cruise industry and being on different ships.

He said number 1 and foremost its impossible to clean and santize a cruise ship, there are so many crooks and crannys and levels and state rooms and kitchens and public areas and bathrooms...many times cleaning and sanitizing is a power wash and nothing more. I didnt like cruise ships since the Legionaire disease was born on one of them.

[East of the Beast]

I can swim and loved to swim, that is not the issue, I do not get seasick that is not the issue.

I am very leery of cruise ships, I read a local guy from Keywests article about his having worked over 20 yrs in the cruise industry and being on different ships.

He said number 1 and foremost its impossible to clean and santize a cruise ship, there are so many crooks and crannys and levels and state rooms and kitchens and public areas and bathrooms...many times cleaning and sanitizing is a power wash and nothing more. I didnt like cruise ships since the Legionaire disease was born on one of them.

I've taken several deep sea fishing trips .Which I enjoyed because #1 I love to fish and #2 I knew we wouldb back to the marina that day. I don't like the feeling of confinement and being out on the open sea and nowhere to go if you want off. Conversely, when it comes to air travel.I find it exhilarating.

[East of the Beast]

If I want to cruise, I have a choice of Mustang or Camaro...

Shelby GT?

[JustPassinThru]

No, the industry will not survive. For several reasons:

First, we have to PAY for this spending lunacy; and that day of reckoning is very close. We are going to be poor in ways we cannot imagine; and except for a few Elites (and probably not the ones we have harassing us now) there will be no market for such luxuries and extravagances.

Second...we tend to forget: Free movement on the high seas is a DIRECT result of the Pax Americana. The United States ensured free movement on the seas in a way that even Great Britain never did. A century ago, the seas were dangerous places, with piracy, criminal attacking of unarmed vessels, and even, at times, Impressment into the British Navy.

That is all going to be gone, and very soon.