twangster

Each local jurisdiction has been able to create their own mask mandate but the Florida Governor make it so they can't issue fines for violations. The best local law enforcement can do (if they decided to enforce a local mandate) is essentially a stern talking to and request that you leave the property. If you fail to comply with that request that's another matter.

Wait, a website error? On RoyalCaribbean.com?

Not Royal's website, but... https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2016/11/03/guide-royal-caribbeans-single-and-studio-staterooms Summary: Vision Class - none Radiance Class - Studio Interior on each ship Voyager Class - only Adventure and Mariner have Studio Interior Freedom Class - none Oasis Class - Only Harmony has Studio Interior and Studio Ocean view, no other ships in this class have studio cabins Quantum Class - All ships in class have Studio Ocean View Balcony, only Odyssey does not have Studio Interior

Released to the industry but not publically on the website, or so it seems. The public website may not be the source of all truth. It will get updated in due time.

It's not absolute, all federal control or all state control, it's a combined or shared function. There are differents areas of jurisdiction. Ships are subject to some city and state regulations such as the ability to serve or tax alcohol or operate a casino on board while in port. Local taxation and regulations apply down to the city and state level but foreign flagged ships are also governed by international maritime treaties so a local ordinance related to something like ADA regulations can't be applied to a ship that is in port. For example if a ship doesn't have a wheelchair ramp into a restaurant that meets local code requirements they can't cite the ship like they could a local business but if a city or state has alcohol regulations those can be applied to a ship in port. Both NYC and Texas have different alcohol regulations that are well known and discussed on cruise forums that apply to cruise ships until they leave and clear territorial boundaries. Florida has them too but they are less impactful so not as frequently discussed. Carnival charges local taxes on a per drink basis while in a US port even if a guest has a drink package. Royal factors these taxes into the bigger picture and doesn't charge them on each drink for guests with a drink package but if you read the terms and conditions of the drink package they could. They do charge them to a guest if you don't have a package and buy each drink as you go. In both cases taxes are remitted but handled different by company policy. This is also one of many factors why ship stores or casinos are closed in port. Some local city or state regulations do apply. Local law enforcement is usually present in any given US port and you will often see both federal and local authorities in their own watercraft policing the movement of vessels within a port. For example you may see US Coast Guard and county sheriff patrols working side by side in their own watercraft. Many aspects of shipping (all shipping, not just cruise ships) falls under federal jurisdiction. Public health inspections for example. A cargo ship galley is subject to public health inspections. Imagine if public health of shipping was left to each county. Each county has its own unique code that can be different compared to another county in another state. It would be very challenging for a cargo ship making calls in different ports to meet different county health code in each port they visit. The solution was to make this a federal responsibility. When it comes to shipping most laws have grown from cargo, container and tanker forms of shipping and cruise ships get painted by that same brush because they are a ship.

Direct from the source. It's interesting (to me at least) to see reference to a month of twice-weekly meetings between the CDC and the industry. https://www.portcanaveral.com/About/Recent-News/Port-Canaveral-First-Port-in-U-S-to-Support-COVID- Port Canaveral, FL – April 30, 2021 – Port Canaveral is the first U.S. port to sponsor COVID-19 vaccine distribution to port workers and vessel crew members in response to a Florida Public Health Advisory approved by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Surgeon General Scott A. Rivkees, MD issued on April 29 expanding vaccine eligibility to include individuals who are in the state for purpose of providing good or services for the benefit of residents and visitors of the State of Florida. “We have been working closely with our cruise partners, the Florida Department of Health, and our port community to come up with a plan and timeline of vaccinating cruise ship crews that could begin the process for a safe return to cruising,” stated Capt. John Murray, Port CEO. “This expanded eligibility is significantly important for our cruise tourism business, and we’re proud of our efforts to help get this industry up and running.” Port Canaveral developed its vaccination model in cooperation with the Parrish Healthcare Center at Cape Canaveral, Canaveral Fire Rescue, and cruise lines medical personnel. Up to 1,000 COVID-19 vaccination shots per day can be provided to vessel crew members, shoreside and waterside support personnel, which aligns with recommendations released this week by the federal Centers for Disease Control for a return to cruising in the U.S. Port Canaveral officials consulted with the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and cruise line operators, as well as the CDC to develop its vaccination model to efficiently and expeditiously get vaccines disbursed to crew members and shoreside personnel. Ship operators responded positively to the expanded eligibility and vaccine doses were administered to personnel on Friday at the Port. Yesterday, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidance, allowing cruise ships to sail with vaccinated crew and passengers as early as mid-July. The change to the restart timeline comes after a month of twice-weekly meetings between the CDC’s maritime team and the cruise industry and ports, including Port Canaveral.

Absolutely! Just be aware any left over FCC is supposed to come in the form of a new FCC with a unique certificate number.

I believe that code is unique to FCC created because Royal cancelled a cruise due to the pandemic aka Global Suspension FCC. There are many sources of FCC such as Cruise with Confidence, FCC granted due to an onboard issue or FCC resulting from a guest cancelling a cruise outside of CWC plus Global Suspension FCC, the only kind that was typically awarded at 125%. It seems Royal is attaching codes to FCC so everyone can better track it given that FCC is stackable - you can now apply multiple FCC to a single booking.

Port Canaveral begins vaccinating cruise ship crew. https://www.floridatoday.com/story/money/business/2021/04/30/port-canaveral-becomes-first-u-s-port-start-vaccinating-cruise-crews/4896178001/ Port Canaveral on Friday became the first U.S. port to coordinate COVID-19 vaccine distribution to cruise ship crew members, in advance of a possible return to cruising in July. The U.S. cruise industry has been shut down since March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The vaccination of crew members will help accelerate a return to cruising. --- It is expected that a number of other cruise ships will be docking at Port Canaveral in the coming weeks, so their crew members can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. === It also is possible that cruise ships not typically at Port Canaveral will be docking there so crew members can get vaccinated aboard the ships. Port Canaveral said it developed its vaccination procedures in cooperation with the Parrish Healthcare Center, Canaveral Fire Rescue and cruise lines' medical personnel. The port said up to 1,000 COVID-19 vaccination shots a day can be provided to vessel crew members, as well as to shoreside and waterside support personnel.

I've done it on the Oasis class ships and enjoyed it. On one occasion it was better than the land equivalent that I've gone to a few times in my hometown. Odyssey looks fun because there may be views to the sea. I also don't see it in the CP but I also don't see My Time dining so they must be still working on it. It does list Teppanyaki for a Haifa sailing in May in the Royal app so I would keep checking as we get closer.

Nope. Brand new. Thing is a rocket. Maybe it's too fast for the Royal site...

It's your vacation investment. You deserve prompt service.

Once in a while the filters get clogged or something. I've seen weird things where I can't see a particular ship & date but 5 mins later I can. Royal IT.

Happened once in the new My Royal Cruises format but worked second time using straight digits 8005551212 format IIRC.

Prior to the shutdown at least two Oasis class had modified their dining. They pushed MTD later and expanded the early traditional dining. However it was limited to just a few ships. When I first noticed MTD times trending later I was curious if the trial on those Oasis class was becoming fleet wide. Then I saw some ships start to have earlier MTD times. So I don't know what's up. Need to get on a ship and ask the dining room manager.

Is your TA with a large agency or a small shop? If it is anything other than a small shop I'd have a discussion with management of that company and request a new agent on their team. In extreme cases Royal will intervene but that's not an easy path to pursue.

Welcome to the message boards! This has been a trend on a number of cruises I have booked although one ship, Mariner, did add some 5:30pm time slots recently. For all of my other ships booked, MTD starts at 7pm.

Bring on the vaccine tourists! Come on Canada, get your beavers down here!

The evil pan is working. Jack prices up then put them "on sale".

The challenge is arriving at protocols that are easy to understand and implement. Once you start introducing too many versions and qualifiers it becomes more difficult to uniformly implement the protocols consistently. Crew and guests are easily confused.

The CDC staff making up these requirements while they sat maskless in a bar must have been laughing their asses off.

In some cases it has happened but that was a lesson learned so they try to avoid that outcome. The license owners for these show are very particular about the sets. Even minor changes to the set have to be approved by them. A can of food on a cart in Hairspray has to be the exact can specified by the license owner of the show, no substitutes allowed. In some cases set pieces have to be a certain size and they can't cut them. This plays a part in the shows that are considered for use on a ship. Us cruise guests can say they should offer this show or that show but that show may have such wild set pieces it would be impossible to make it work on a ship. When they un-installed the show from Quantum when she headed to Asia it took them a month to break the set down and ship it back to the US, it was that complicated to get it off the ship while working around the other shows using the theater.

Like many I have concerns sharing health related information with private companies yet I can see why cruise lines need to understand what they they are dealing with as they strive to find the optimal protocols to implement on board from one sailing to another. One solution is to implement different protocols for those that to choose to share their vaccine status. Anyone who doesn't vaccinate or chooses not to disclose their status can sail but with more protocols. Daily temperature checks, onboard testing every few days, tracelets, ideally no masks outdoors but masks while in transit indoors moving between cabins and dining for example. This can accommodate families of all ages. To differentiate they could do what they do with certain youth Seapass cards - print them vertically. If you choose to share your fully vaccinated status you would get a normal looking SeaPass and face fewer protocols. No daily temperature checks, no testing on board, no tracelets. Between the tracelet and the SeaPass card crew will know what protocols are required for each guest. Fail to follow your assigned protocols and off you go at the next port of call. I can already hear pushback to the idea of differentiating between guests but the alternative requires they assume no one is vaccinated and all Singapore protocols apply to everyone. I don't want to sail like that, that's not why I chose to vaccinate. I should not be penalized because someone else hasn't vaccinated.

It's easy for vaccinated to endorse a vaccine or don't go approach but this has significant impact to Royal's primary target audience - multi-generational families. That's why I think Royal will strive to find a solution that doesn't take this approach if at all possible.

As the thread evolves we see many different perspectives which is a good thing. The challenge facing the cruise lines, in as much as they can implement a policy within the framework outlined by the CDC will be arriving at an approach that satisfies the most while keeping the company safe and in operation as the virus evolves and new variants come into play. On one extreme we have going back to the way it was with no protocols and no requirements related to virus mitigation. I'm not sure the CDC is going to allow that approach at least until Nov. 1 nor do I think any cruise line will attempt this as there is great risk to the brand and cruising in general should an outbreak, even a minor outbreak occur. On the other extreme they have to go with Singapore like protocols as if there is no vaccine so that they don't have to ask the question "are you vaccinated or not?". Any guest can be accommodated, any age, at entire ship of unvaccinated can sail. Protocols would include daily temperature checks, masks outdoors, testing every few days, distancing and capacity controls, contact tracing tracelets - all the protocols that allowed ships to sail safely without vaccines. You can argue all you want why it should be one or the other but somewhere between the two extremes will be an approach allowed by the CDC that will be acceptable to many (but not all) potential cruise guests while minimizing the opportunity to feed the media frenzy an outbreak will induce.