Jill

Congratulations @Matt! ?

Allianz didn’t ask me

Covid is never going away. You can continue to live in fear or grab life by the horns and go for it. I’m approaching 5 years cancer free from stage 4b endometrial cancer. I had a 15% chance of making it. I’m here and ready to cross off my bucket list cruises. I’m a firm believer that when it’s your time, it’s your time. I’ve stared down death. It wasn’t my time. Too bad more people don’t see life that way. No regrets baby! Hurry up October! Here I come Symphony!

This is going to get reported for at least the next month or so and then hopefully will just not be interesting anymore. Bottom line: there are going to be cases. We’ve seen the protocols work exactly as planned for 2 cruises now. All the people freaking out (mostly on Facebook) really should just stay home. Those that are comfortable and believe in the protocols climb aboard.

The only downside is that you can’t speak directly to Royal. However if you have a great TA (like @Sharla) that’s not an issue. She’s lightening fast! I used to book through RC. I went the TA route when we were looking at booking odyssey for Italy/Greece. With hotels, flights etc., I didn’t want to mess with it plus I wanted someone in my corner if something happened pre-cruise, cruise, post-cruise etc. We booked a 3 night on Mariner to test her out (?) and haven’t looked back. The major upside to having a good TA-all this cancellation/FCC/OBC Covid garbage was handled so professionally. Last, you’re supporting a business, someone’s livelihood. It doesn’t cost you anything for their service and the benefits are numerous.

It’s been out for 2 weeks as @CGTLHposted. @WAAAYTOOO I don’t know how they’ll get around the CSO unless they somehow know they’ll hit that 95% mark. I think Royal put out that even with kids, they’ll still come in around 90%. Guess we’ll all find out tomorrow!

This is nothing new. Same as Royal. If you choose to show your proof of vaccination you’ll have one set of protocols. If you choose not to show proof or are not fully vaccinated, you’ll have to pay for additional testing, wear masks indoors and may be excluded from certain areas.

Mine has been applied twice now. This last time it didn’t show up for weeks. I went through Facebook messenger and it was there in a few hours.

Marc Walker “Bing Bong” Sorry that’s the CD. I apparently can’t read

I just got a quote from them for an annual and it was almost $1500. I’m calling back to speak to someone else because that seems super high. Travel Guard quoted me $518. We have 3 cruises in a calendar year. 7 night Caribbean, 7 night Alaska with 3 night land and 12 night Holy Land/Greece with extra land days. Flights, hotels etc.

Obviously a gag order is in place. Good reason to choose employees as test cruisers. Hopefully all is going well and CDC representative(s) is blown away at the execution of the protocols. ?

@Bemintz Royal has been planning for reduced capacity for at least a year. With a year and a half of cancelled cruises/lift and shift/refunds etc, they’ve had a plan in place. Even now if you do some mock bookings, you’ll see outside view as “sold out.” I’ve noticed very few interior cabins available with the exception of connecting rooms. I’m not concerned about future capacity and being bumped for my October Symphony. Right now the biggest issue to me would be a resurgence of new cases that would impact sailing but with so many vaccinated, that’s not really probable, even with variants out there. Adventure was a great example as to how things will be. According to @Matt, the cruise was more “normal” than not. Even with some unvaccinated on board, I’m not expecting anything that would impede my having a great time.

I don’t think much will change as far as protocols go. Masks will likely be dropped for vax’d. The cruise lines DON’T want outbreaks. They can’t afford it. I think the healthy sail protocols will be the norm. No test cruises= fleet able to get going

I’m talking about those eligible for a vaccine (adult) and choose not to take it. That’s who Royal is trying to discourage. Adventure is sailing right now with unvaccinated children. They aren’t separated from their parents.

These new protocols really are to discourage those who are not vaccinated to not sail for now. You’ll get the die hards but your average cruiser probably will wait. Also.....From a business standpoint: Royal has an opportunity here to snag those Disney cruisers. Disney is shutdown. There’s no way they can start anytime soon. The unvaccinated kids would outnumber vaccinated adults. This is Royal’s chance to wow them over. These protocols are cumbersome for the unvaccinated and that is the point.

Yep us too! I’m assuming she’ll be out of Canaveral unless Miami gets it’s LNG by then. PC would be awesome as I’m 2 hours from there. We’ve got 3 booked through October 2022. Not sure I can wait a year after that for Icon, so may have to jump on a 4 night Bahamas to hold me over.

I hope they stick with the vouchers being able to be used anywhere/anytime. That’s way better than getting drinks in the lounge And only having happy hours to redeem your other drinks.

You’ll like Freedom. She’s a good size ship. Personally I love oasis class but Freedom is a great way to be introduced to Royal.

I’d like a clean sheet design too. I do hope she has a Central Park kind of thing though. That’s just spectacular and I miss it on every non oasis class I go on.

We had one of those crappy, drunk fest ships that sailed out of Jacksonville. A few friends have done that one and it was pretty gross.

I’m curious what they’re going to do with all the people who will now be Diamond after this promo. That lounge is going to get very crowded. It’s a great promo though! We’ll end up with 66 points and just shy of Diamond +. Our Alaska cruise is in a JS and we added the 3 night land tour so 40 points on that one.

What Royal ship are you going on?

She just needs that champagne smashed across her bow and exorcise these demons! Seriously will she ever sail? My October out of Rome was cancelled months ago. I moved us to October 2022 Holy Land. This ship needs some divine intervention!

@AshleyDillo and @Baked Alaska now you have me excited about icy straight! Ashley do you remember what whale tour you did? There will be 5 of us.

I’d go research icy straight. It’s a toss up 50/50 it seems. Not much to do there. We’re on the Southbound Radiance in May of ‘22 and icy straight is a port. We’ll find something to do or take a needed nap! ? We added a 3 day Denali land tour pre-cruise so if there’s a port with not much going on, I’m down for a nap!