Cozumel COVID-19 updates

[Mark IV]

And if that happens, all this economic damage from lockdowns will have been for nothing.

Yeah, fair point, and that may be exactly how it all shakes out, but again, that may still be our only alternative. Grinding the global economy into dust, based on little more than blind hope that a cure is right around the corner, isn't a viable strategy either.
A cure is a big "maybe", while another Great Depression is a mathematical certainty, if we continue down this path. My point again is that it's quite plausible that ALL options are gonna suck, and we need to come to terms with that, and someone at the top has to have the balls to make the call, and deal with the predictable avalanche of accusations of being a, "heartless,genocidal maniac", because with either choice, that's gonna come from the press and political opposition. A true, long-term, "no-win / lesser of two evils" situation may well be what we're dealing with here.

 

[Manatee Diver]

And if that happens, all this economic damage from lockdowns will have been for nothing.

You still need to social distance to lower the infection rate enough that hospitals aren't overwhelmed. But yes if that scenario is true the countries that did long hard lockdowns took a lot of damage for little benefit.

Of course if an effective vaccine is developed countries like the US and Sweden let a lot of people die that might have lived.

But anyone that claims that the choice is (or was) obvious should get off their high horse.

 

[DandyDon]

At risk of the thread police derailing a perfectly good conversation: Cabo
Though, 'simple' routes to Coz, Bonaire, etc. are all pretty much the same for me.
Houston figures into just about any sane United itinerary going South from YYC...
(along with the lovely 06:00 departure times that usually necessitates for same day connections)

I don't know what Cabo has to do with this, but what I think he was referencing was that you could fly Air Canada non-stop (direct is not the same thing) from Toronto to Cancun is 3¾ hours and skip all of the hassels of connecting in Texas, clearing I&C since we do not have international terminals, leave at 10:15 am and be in Mexico in time for lunch. From Cancun, it's an easy one hour bus ride non-stop from the airport to Playa del Carmen or a private van for like $30USD, then a short ferryboat ride across the channel. Unlike the Cozumel airport where you have to get in a packed, shared van, you can get off in Cozumel and hail a private cab to your hotel.

If one good thing has come form this mess it is that last minute and flexible travel is now much more viable.
I'm only booking key pieces in advance - flights, hotels, etc. are all either refundable or easily bookable last minute it seems.
There are certainly deals to be had.

Yep, I'd consider booking Air Canada non-stop on the days they fly and canceling the Texas airport change.

 

[ggunn]

Of course i realize there are variables in every situation, my point was that it's entirely plausible that they never develop a safe, effective vaccine, and that we may have no alternative other than biting the proverbial bullet, and opening the world up again. The full-on global depression that is looming (in fact, is probably inevitable, even without this virus), could easily have effects that rival or exceed the calamitous effects of the virus. People seem highly reluctant to even consider the very plausible possibility that this ends badly, no matter what.
Obviously, I hope not, but to steadfastly refuse to even consider the possibility, is naive in the extreme, yet that seems to be a very prevalent mindset.

One (and maybe the only) reason that there are no SARS and MERS vaccines is that there is no compelling reason to develop them. They are both far more easily contained than is this virus and they have infected a comparatively minuscule number of people. I sincerely hope that a vaccine will be developed for COVID-19 that will be as effective as those for polio and smallpox, but I am not counting on it.

 

[flyboy08]

Yeah, fair point, and that may be exactly how it all shakes out, but again, that may still be our only alternative. Grinding the global economy into dust, based on little more than blind hope that a cure is right around the corner, isn't a viable strategy either.
A cure is a big "maybe", while another Great Depression is a mathematical certainty, if we continue down this path. My point again is that it's quite plausible that ALL options are gonna suck, and we need to come to terms with that, and someone at the top has to have the balls to make the call, and deal with the predictable avalanche of accusations of being a, "heartless,genocidal maniac", because with either choice, that's gonna come from the press and political opposition. A true, long-term, "no-win / lesser of two evils" situation may well be what we're dealing with here.

If your fellow Georgians would heed appropriate PPE in public, then we would have a fighting chance...your state, along with a few others seem to believe they are invincible.

 

[DandyDon]

If your fellow Georgians would head appropriate PPE in public

Huh? Have you tried the Grammarly app?

 

[Mike Walker]

I don't know what Cabo has to do with this, but what I think he was referencing was that you could fly Air Canada non-stop (direct is not the same thing) from Toronto to Cancun is 3¾ hours and skip all of the hassels of connecting in Texas, clearing I&C since we do not have international terminals, leave at 10:15 am and be in Mexico in time for lunch. From Cancun, it's an easy one hour bus ride non-stop from the airport to Playa del Carmen or a private van for like $30USD, then a short ferryboat ride across the channel. Unlike the Cozumel airport where you have to get in a packed, shared van, you can get off in Cozumel and hail a private cab to your hotel.

Yep, I'd consider booking Air Canada non-stop on the days they fly and canceling the Texas airport change.

My actual destination for this trip is Cabo - but since that is verboten in this thread I'd suggest the discussion is similar for most Mexico destinations from Western Canada. (And, really, most Caribbean destinations as even getting to MIA usually involves a connection at IAH)

Going through Toronto for me would be like someone from Boise routing through Newark. It's an option.. but not a great one.

YYC->IAH->COZ is a straight line. Routing via Toronto adds several hours flying time in the wrong direction and booking with AC over UA is almost always a big cost jump. Cabo isn't quite a straight line but they've cancelled pretty much everything along the west coast and seem to be relying on IAH as a hub. At some point the extra risk from time spent on a plane with creative routings probably outweighs the risk from time actually spent in Houston.

Certainly, for those in the vicinity of Toronto that route through Cancun is an option though.

I am disappointed we don't seem to be seeing much appetite from Canadian carriers to add direct flights to Mex/Carib destinations if only on a temporary basis. Guess the demand just isn't there on this end, even if the destinations would love to see more people coming in.
I'm just scooping up deals wherever I can. If projects are still on hold I'm contemplating a couple months in Bonaire at the end of the year... if I can get in.

 

[DandyDon]

Going through Toronto for me would be like someone from Boise routing through Newark. It's an option.. but not a great one.

YYC->IAH->COZ is a straight line.

I am sorry for my confusion, but I thought you were leaving from Toronto. If you had Calgary in your profile so it'd show up on your posts or had mentioned that recently, it might have helped. Yep, different flight plans all the way.

My actual destination for this trip is Cabo - but since that is verboten in this thread I'd suggest the discussion is similar for most Mexico destinations from Western Canada.

Yeah, I was looking at possible plans to Cozumel Island. If your actual destination is Cabo, that's totally different.

 

[flyboy08]

Huh? Have you tried the Grammarly app?

So now your the site grammar police and site mortician?

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

At risk of the thread police derailing a perfectly good conversation: Cabo
Though, 'simple' routes to Coz, Bonaire, etc. are all pretty much the same for me.
Houston figures into just about any sane United itinerary going South from YYC...
(along with the lovely 06:00 departure times that usually necessitates for same day connections)



If one good thing has come form this mess it is that last minute and flexible travel is now much more viable.
I'm only booking key pieces in advance - flights, hotels, etc. are all either refundable or easily bookable last minute it seems.
There are certainly deals to be had.

Ah..so why not air canada to cancun and then ferry to coz to be there in time for nightdive as opposed to overnight in Houston?