Is Coronavirus keeping you from booking liveaboard/overseas trips this year?

[al248005]

I have a Guadalupe trip scheduled on the Solmar at the end of September that's paid for ... Hopefully this is all sorted out by then.

 

[gjthomas]

I also have a trip with Solmar at the end of September.

 

[Dan]

You both are in better situation than me. That's about 2 months later than mine. I'll have a trip to Guadalupe, Mexico on Belle Amie at the end of July.

Nautilus informs me that the lockdown in Mexico is due to finish at the end of May. So, I'll wait for another month before deciding what to do.

 

[O-ring]

Similar boat here, but end of June on the T&C Aggressor. So far nothing from Aggressor and T&C official website lists the airport reopening on 6/1. My flights have already changed a couple of times each, but not much I can do on my end until I hear from Aggressor. My fear is that Aggressor will drag their feet beyond the cancellation deadlines for my airline tickets, condo rental and boat diving with the 2 operations I have it scheduled with prior to my Aggressor departure. If I get down to the wire on those I'll just have to make a judgment call and assess the likelihood of the Aggressor sailing/not sailing and go from there. If it sails and I cancel the other stuff I'll be scrambling to get flights or will just have to eat the Aggressor charter costs.

 

[O-ring]

Similar boat here, but end of June on the T&C Aggressor. So far nothing from Aggressor and T&C official website lists the airport reopening on 6/1. My flights have already changed a couple of times each, but not much I can do on my end until I hear from Aggressor. My fear is that Aggressor will drag their feet beyond the cancellation deadlines for my airline tickets, condo rental and boat diving with the 2 operations I have it scheduled with prior to my Aggressor departure. If I get down to the wire on those I'll just have to make a judgment call and assess the likelihood of the Aggressor sailing/not sailing and go from there. If it sails and I cancel the other stuff I'll be scrambling to get flights or will just have to eat the Aggressor charter costs.

Just got word today that my June 20 T&C Aggressor trip has been cancelled and I will be receiving a voucher good for 1 year. Pretty happy with the outcome all things considered. I'm still within the window to cancel the other folks I booked with and receive credit or refund.

 

[al248005]

You both are in better situation than me. That's about 2 months later than mine. I'll have a trip to Guadalupe, Mexico on Belle Amie at the end of July.

Nautilus informs me that the lockdown in Mexico is due to finish at the end of May. So, I'll wait for another month before deciding what to do.

I'm more worried about California right now...we are supposed to be picked up in San Diego but I think I read somewhere earlier this week that San Francisco was extending the restrictions until the end of September. Also Ohio kinda has us on a lockdown as well.

 

[divinh]

I'm more worried about California right now...we are supposed to be picked up in San Diego but I think I read somewhere earlier this week that San Francisco was extending the restrictions until the end of September. Also Ohio kinda has us on a lockdown as well.

Los Angeles is extending its lockdown to July. San Francisco is starting to open up more today, May 15th.

"If you're going to San Francisco... be sure to wear a mask on your face..." (required for crowded spaces)

 

[nippurmagnum]

I'm more worried about California right now...we are supposed to be picked up in San Diego but I think I read somewhere earlier this week that San Francisco was extending the restrictions until the end of September. Also Ohio kinda has us on a lockdown as well.

California seems to be leading the nation in overreacting to this virus. You might want to consider flying directly to Baja and getting to Ensenada on your own, if that's an option. Though it's hard to imagine the Guadalupe trip not being cancelled if San Diego is off limits.

On the other hand, if Cali does reopen by the time of your trip, San Diego is an AWESOME place to shore dive for a couple of days before your Guadalupe trip. La Jolla Cove has sea lions and kelp beds, and La Jolla Shores has a big aggregation of leopard sharks right off the beach. Honestly, my buddy and I enjoyed that as much as the Guadalupe dives themselves.

One last thought -- the Guadalupe trip involves a looong boat crossing, of around 24 hours if memory serves. I would definitely ask what the policy will be if anyone comes down with coronavirus-type symptoms on the way to, or while at, Guadalupe. It would royally suck to make that crossing only to have the boat turn right around because someone developed a dry cough or was running a fever. I don't know whether helicopter medevacs are an option in such circumstances, whether the guests are required to quarantine in their cabin for the duration, and/or whether the boat would just turn right around. Honestly, I wouldn't go on a liveaboard that had such a long crossover without being comfortable with those kinds of logistical risks.

 

[al248005]

California seems to be leading the nation in overreacting to this virus. You might want to consider flying directly to Baja and getting to Ensenada on your own, if that's an option. Though it's hard to imagine the Guadalupe trip not being cancelled if San Diego is off limits.

On the other hand, if Cali does reopen by the time of your trip, San Diego is an AWESOME place to shore dive for a couple of days before your Guadalupe trip. La Jolla Cove has sea lions and kelp beds, and La Jolla Shores has a big aggregation of leopard sharks right off the beach. Honestly, my buddy and I enjoyed that as much as the Guadalupe dives themselves.

One last thought -- the Guadalupe trip involves a looong boat crossing, of around 24 hours if memory serves. I would definitely ask what the policy will be if anyone comes down with coronavirus-type symptoms on the way to, or while at, Guadalupe. It would royally suck to make that crossing only to have the boat turn right around because someone developed a dry cough or was running a fever. I don't know whether helicopter medevacs are an option in such circumstances, whether the guests are required to quarantine in their cabin for the duration, and/or whether the boat would just turn right around. Honestly, I wouldn't go on a liveaboard that had such a long crossover without being comfortable with those kinds of logistical risks.

I planned on diving in La Jolla one day at the end of the trip but you bring up a very good point about someone coming down with the symptoms while in route. To further that point if someone were to get sick would you be quarantined in Mexico or the United States? We are going to contact our agent with those questions.

 

[divinh]

California seems to be leading the nation in overreacting to this virus.

Overreacting how? Some people said it's no worse than the flu...

CDC US flu death estimate for Oct 2019 - Apr 2020 (6 months), 24,000 - 62,000

Covid-19 confirmed deaths from late Jan 2020 - Apr 2020 (3 months), 79,000

That's with social distancing and given we're dealing with exponential growth, it could have been way worse. Someone needs to take the leadership position. "Someone" at the very top already said he takes no responsibility. Now, your State/area can make the decision to take a very conservative route, like California, or do nothing at all. It makes it totally safe for Red States to pick something in the middle so they won't appear as "alarmist".