Jill

The new hygienic concept is working. But only because ship is on half capacity. Chairs at the pool are two meters apart and buffet restaurant is open but no self service. Silver is sealed for single use. You can’t even grab a coffee by yourself. Everything takes a lot more time. But at least back on a cruise ship. Mein Schiff 2 sealing from Hamburg in the North Sea with no stop. It’s TUI Cruises which belongs to 50% to Royal. So hopefully Miami is watching.

For those on Facebook, here’s a first hand account on what it’s like along with pics. For those not on Facebook, I’ll post text here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/RoyalCaribbeanCrownAnchor/?ref=share

Well if we end up on Symphony May 29, we will have to celebrate with a glass of champagne or maybe a bottle! One for me and one for you! ? I just sent my reservation to Sharla this morning to move to her.

So no personal floats on CocoCay? I did see people with those small hammock floats last time so I bought 2 for next time. ? We’ll still use them in st Thomas and st Maarten though. ?

I wonder if the same test was used in the home country as was used in Germany. We all know the testing can be suspect. That’s an issue.

Well it looks like I’m in good company! ? See I knew I wouldn’t get yelled at here! We’re nothing but a bunch of enablers.

.......put down another deposit. ? Good grief. Our May Symphony was canceled, so rebooked for October with FCC, which will likely be canceled. Can’t Lift and Shift because we already have Odyssey booked for next October. This itinerary is rarely offered: St Thomas, St Maarten (our favorite), CocoCay. Next date: May 29, 2021. Start “browsing” availability. Hardly anything left. Panic! Go from JS this past May to oversized balcony October down to regular balcony next May. Call friends who we are booked with. Scan cabins. Find 2 together and bingo zippy, we are booked. I SWORE I would not give them anymore “real” money. Fail. (It is a refundable deposit ?) Hi, my name is Jill and I’m a cruisaholic.

And eyes crossed!

We’ve got October 2021 Med on Odyssey. I feel fairly confident we will have learned to live with this virus. Heck at the rate US cases are going, I think herd immunity is getting closer each day! Honestly as long as mortality rate continues to decline (currently less than .05%) the virus will be more of a nuisance. Still troublesome for those with co-morbidities but manageable for the vast majority.

Maybe they can re-assign the drink package/dining package peddlers to eMuster reminder duties. Those people are literally everywhere!

Here’s a good article on it. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/royal-caribbean-group-reinvents-cruise-industrys-safety-drill-301099281.html

You can find protocols for other lines online. American Queen river cruises, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Lines, Virgin Voyages and what the EU is requiring. That’ll give you an idea as to what to expect. RC has already said they will start with a few ships at reduced capacity.

We’re thinking of renting a houseboat! About as close as we can get to cruising.

I don’t see holiday cruises happening because #1 you know those ships are booked and half must go to reduce capacity. #2 there will only be a few ships anyways

I really wish they’d apply Lift and Shift to the first round of cancellations. I feel screwed lol. Our May Symphony was canceled. No Lift and Shift back then so took the 125% FCC and rebooked for October 2020. Which now will most likely be canceled. Can’t Lift and Shift October cruise because we already have Odyssey booked October 2021. Now looking at booking May 29, 2021 Symphony to replace October which replaced May and if they would have had L&S back when our May Symphony was canceled, we could have moved it. Im sure once the stupid FCC is re-issued from the likely canceled October cruise, prices will be higher for May 2021. Grrrr......

We sailed her during her maiden year to the Southern Caribbean and again 2 years later with friends on the same itinerary. Sailed Sovereign too. I remember how HUGE she was compared to our first RC ship, Song of America

I sure hope so! I have a hereditary cancer gene (Lynch Syndrome) that has about a dozen cancers in the syndrome. Since I’ve had one, I have an 80% chance of developing another. We’ve lived on a small horse farm for 20 years and rarely traveled. Now we can and we can’t. ?

I can totally relate! My canceled May cruise was to celebrate 3 1/2 years NED from Stage 4b endometrial cancer. We rebooked for October to celebrate 4 years NED. If that gets canceled (which it most likely will), then we’ll look at next May to use our FCC’s. That’ll be 4 1/2 years NED. But by golly my October 2021 Odyssey Italy/Greece had better sail because I’m hoping and praying to be 5 years NED and officially into Remission. I was given a 15% chance of making it 5 years and we’ve been taking cruises to celebrate each milestone towards Remission. So bummed about no cruise(s). Congrats to you though!

The remaining FCC has to be applied to a future cruise by December 30, 2021. That future cruise must sail by April 30, 2022. You should get that remaining FCC within a month after your August cruise. If you don’t have it by end of September, I’d phone RC.

You can do it immediately. I repriced all of mine using the 125% OBC. Once you cancel an item, your OBC immediately increases.

Carnival apparently had big parties. I wasn’t singling out RC it was the cruise lines as a whole. Mostly carnival

From Loyal to Royal Facebook Wonder of the seas isn't going to China in 2021.. Currently is being postponed till further notice.. #royalcaribbean #loyaltoroyal #RoyalCAS #wonderoftheseas PC: Noel Ganuchaud

I’m supposed to be able to check in tomorrow for my October 17. On the app it now says check in starts on October 17. Hmmmm......I guess I’ll see tomorrow. Through the website it still says check in available at 90 days. We shall see......already planning on it being canceled though.

Interesting article about the no sail order: “In its last extension of the No Sail order, dated April 15, the agency asked all major cruise lines to issue a response plan to the order, stipulating precisely what that needed to entail. As of July 10, the agency said only one cruise line — Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line — has come up with a plan that adequately meets all the requirements. It added that the “difficulty of cruise ship operators in submitting appropriate [No Sail Order] response plans was compounded by several instances of potential non-compliance with the requirements of the April 15, 2020 Extension.” These include alleged improper disembarkations of crew and crew not adhering to social distancing on board.“ Almost appears the CDC is “punishing” the industry because of what happened early on. The disembark debacle (didn’t follow CDC) and the alleged partying by crew after ships were cleared of passengers. Full article here: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cdc-extends-no-sail-order-210532606.html?soc_src=hl-viewer&soc_trk=ma

Little by little 2020 is getting chopped away: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/florida-cruise-guide/os-bz-coronavirus-cdc-bans-cruises-from-us-ports-through-october-20200716-cvcypkq62rdvzaayqev2cr3uaq-story.html