twangster

This was the pre-pandemic process. No one knows how or if it will work during the initial restart phase. Consecutive cruises work differently in different regions. In the U.S. CBP (Customs and Border Protection) requires a ship to reach a zero guest count between sailings in order to "clear" the ship before new guests for the next cruise can board. For the most part this will require that every guest including consecutive cruisers vacate the ship. Typically the process involves a consecutive cruiser meeting point and time such as 9:30am in a venue on the ship depending how many there are. Once the bulk of normal cruisers have left the ship, consecutive cruisers are escorted in a group to visit CBP in the terminal. CBP does a document check to process each consecutive cruiser. After a short wait once CBP confirms the ship is empty of all guests, consecutive cruisers are allowed back on first and then the normal boarding process begins. You don't have to pack and take your luggage with you if you have the same cabin. If changing cabins typically you pack everything except clothing hanging in the closet. Leaving your luggage in your cabin when you go to the consecutive cruiser meeting the cabin attendant will move it between cabins while you are going through the CBP process above. Rarely some guests report having to move their own items between cabins. Sometimes (but not frequently) CBP might keep you in the consecutive cruiser group on the ship and they will come on board to process consecutive cruisers. There is no way to know if you'll get this treatment. One week CBP might ask everyone to go into the terminal and another week they could decide to do it on board. During this process you'll get new SeaPass cards. Sometimes you can keep the old cards, sometimes they collect them when you get your new cards. You have to settle your account on board as if you are leaving the ship like everyone else. The next cruise has a different account for any purchases on the consecutive cruise. Before sailing you should check in online for each cruise separately as if you are taking two different cruises on different ships. Royal truly treats the two cruises as separate events so you should go through the motions as if they are distinctly separate cruises. If you plan to leave the ship on turn around day you typically are instructed to visit guest services early, collect you new SeaPass card and then you leave the ship when general debarking is occuring. You'll go through CBP like you do every cruise and then you are free to roam off ship. Upon returning to the terminal you have to go through security like everyone else and assuming the ship is already boarding you walk on like everyone else new to that cruise.

I see they are still terribly proud of their WiFi. Surf basic internet is pretty slow.

Cruise to nowhere. Given the season and short nature I don't think many would choose to check luggage. Prior to the shutdown short FL based cruises observed most guests using carry on. I wouldn't interpret this to mean they have required all guests to carry on. Hopefully as Quantum progresses we'll hear more details.

Actually some of them are reporting COVID news like crossing the 10m mark. It's a matter of reporting bigger news. Before some of these news outlets were all CNN - Corona News Networks. It's all they talked about 24 x 7. Along comes the election and something else to talk about. Then along comes a projected win and a battle over democracy itself. The news that we might not live in a democracy at all, voting doesn't matter and courts appointed largely by one side will decide who is in power. That's huge news without exaggerating the story for political purposes. At any rate the night of the acceptance speech FOX, CNN, ABC and NBC at least did start showing some of their COVID numbers again in between election related topics. The others may have, I didn't tune to those channels. However there remains very big news to compete with the pandemic so these media outlets are no longer 24 x 7 Corona News Networks. History is in the making. A hundred years from now the political events that are unfolding will be in history books taught to children. Few history books in America mention the 1918 flu pandemic and a hundred years from now American history books will largely ignore the worldwide pandemic of 2020. This is why news outlets have shifted their focus and not dedicating 100% of all airtime to the virus.

In my experience NextCruise will only book at your current level. Once you have achieved Platinum you can call C&A to inquire if your new level is a better deal at the current rate on the day you call. Cruise prices change often and tend to increase over time. It's long been that way. Bottom line - book at a rate you are comfortable paying and assume that will be the price you pay. If price drops or changes from moving higher in C&A do occur then it's great news but it shouldn't be expected. Any requests to re-price a cruise are typically done at prevailing rates. The region around the world you live in can influence this as well.

They tested a few the other night by showing them on the website. Same four ships, same type of itineraries. Getting closer.

Doubt the new protocols were scientifically based on the numbers in play today. In the good news column, actual reports of a real vaccine look promising.

So... meanwhile... I'm waiting to see how solo with Loyalty2x actually works out. Time will tell.

I think this requirement has been established for many months. It has been the mechanism that allows crew to be coming and going through the U.S. over the past several months. You may recall a big flap in the spring when some cruise line CEO's didn't immediately sign the acknowledgement that held them responsible for any misstep. While it's relevant in the sense that they can't move crew without the signed acknowledgments, this marking of ship green or red pre-dates the CSO.

Unknown. I have to imagine that it's pretty low on the priority list and I'm not sure it's even on the list in the first place. On the surface restoring Cuba tourism doesn't seem to check any priority action items like doing things that create American jobs or something that contributes to the American economy. It helps the people of Cuba to an extent. It certainly helps the Cuban government but is that a good thing? What's in it for America? Cuba remains controversial. Many Americans had property and assets seized by the Cuban government. Those individuals have never been addressed or compensated for their loss. For would be American tourists it seems black and white but it's not. Once a new cabinet is formed there will presumably be someone whose role will be to consider foreign relationships around the world. That team may have some thoughts on Cuba and what should be done with the relationship with the Cuban government but that will need to considered in the much bigger picture of relationships around the world that were changed over the past four years. Is the Cuban government even open to working with a Biden administration? Who knows? All that to say it's not going to be a flick of the light switch, or shouldn't be in my opinion. They will need to consider the long term direction they want America to take with respect to Cuba and then find actions to move in that direction. This process will or should take time in my opinion. They shouldn't undo actions of the current administration simply because those actions were taken by the current administration. The world is different now compared to 8 years ago and it will be different in another four years. Actions have consequences. It needs to be thought about carefully and we should examine how each action impacts America.

Sunset from Mallory Square isn't bad either.

Naturally it is wise to consider what other countries are doing. The extreme CDC requirements for America are a direct reflection of the American response to the virus in general. Those same American protocols should not be required in regions that have responded very differently to the virus. Industry and government public health agencies need to work closely together and adapt as the virus ebbs and flows. The American shutdown of the cruise industry is directly attributable to the actions of the American people. We did this to ourselves. Australians responded very differently to the pandemic and they shouldn't be bound to American style protocols. On one end of the spectrum is the American model to restart cruising. The other end of the spectrum is restarting cruising like there was never a pandemic. Somewhere in between the two extremes is the right approach for Australia.

Yes there will be a cruise industry after the pandemic in my opinion. I don't see the entire industry disappearing. The pandemic has caused massive disruptions to many lives, economies and industries around the world. Like there have been airlines that have disappeared we have seen some cruise lines disappear. The impact to the cruise industry may not be over yet. Only time will tell but the sting isn't over, the virus didn't disappear on Nov. 4th as some projected it would.

Oasis class ships are in a league of their own so any other class will yield a different experience. From South Florida your options will be Freedom class, Quantum class or Voyager class. Freedom class options from South Florida include Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas. Like Oasis class these ships offer broadway shows, ice skating shows, Royal Caribbean productions and other headliner shows. Quantum class option from South Florida is Odyssey. She is still being built so her entertainment options haven't been announced yet. Voyager class option from South Florida is Navigator of the Seas. Voyager class don't offer broadway style shows but Navigator does a Vegas Showgirl type show. She does have a new ice skating show which is excellent and incorporates drones like Symphony does. Some of these ships offer primarily shorter itineraries so your next step may be to consider what itinerary is of interest to you. This may filter some of the ships above from your menu of options to choose from. Only Oasis class ships have Central Park and Boardwalk neighborhoods. Sailing any other class will still yield a great cruise experience for different reasons. Some responses may suggest you stay with larger or the newest ships and that is one valid approach. After sailing two Oasis class ships in fantastic loft suites I chose to sail something on the other end of the spectrum choosing Grandeur. I did this deliberately so I could contrast the biggest versus something approaching the other end of scale. Coming from another cruise line that doesn't have anything like Oasis class I wanted to compare something more apples to apples so that I could compare the two cruise lines on a more level playing field. Spoiler alert - I had a great cruise on Grandeur even though the Vision class doesn't offer anything like an Oasis class experience. Only you know what experience you seek and your tolerance to deviate from Oasis class. All Royal Caribbean ships have the opportunity to provide different but great cruise experiences depending what you seek. As you settle in on itinerary or a specific ship do more research like you are doing now. Know what you looking to book so your expectations can be set accordingly. With that done you can have a great cruise experience on any ship.

They won't. That's the point of the CSO. The milestones have yet to be detailed to the point that any cruise line can determine what they actually need to do. That will take 30 - 60 days. Then cruise lines can continue to progress towards the first step of many in the CDC qualification process. That will be in 60 - 90 day window. Then the CDC will be under a new administration that will support them. The CDC will drag its feet and allow ships to advance toward CSO certification at a snail's pace. It will just so happen that the CDC will allow cruise ships to sail once the pandemic numbers are down - at some future time. 2021? Perhaps. 2022? 2025? 2030? Only time will tell when the CDC will let cruise ships sail.

That'll be addressed on the next ballot.

If I lived in the area I'd put my name on the list.

I've looked at this before. Paris, France was a cheaper ticket. I have driven an RV along the Keys several times and stayed on a few of them. I've also rented a convertible and driven the Keys after a cruise (because flying from KW was price prohibitive). Key West is not a focus destination. Few people will make a vacation dedicated to KW if they haven't be so inclined before. That all but eliminates the air option for most. Air travel is not going to increase with this change, those that flew before will continue to do so such as timeshare owners. Some tourism businesses will take a bit hit. Hotels will see no change from this change. The people have spoken. They want it to be a sleepy mostly locals only island. Some tourism business will close, others will see a decline in business, others will see no change. Bottom line this is what the voters want.

The other curious ballot item gives preference and docking priority to cruise lines that have the best health and environmental records. How will this be implemented? Who will create the scorecard for all passenger ships worldwide? CDC's VSP doesn't rate ships on a comparative basis. They simply provide results. Many ships spend time overseas. They are only subject to VSP exams once they come to America. They will naturally have fewer violations because they have fewer VSP exams. Few countries around the world have a dashboard for environmental violations. Will the City of KW now have to hire and build a team to create a dashboard to rate environmental and health metrics for cruise ships? That sounds like a pretty significant effort. The real winners here will be the lawyers who litigate this.

The 1,300 capacity appears to be guests and crew combined. Luxury lines who tend to operate smaller ships have a higher crew to passenger ratio. Many SilverSea ships for example have ~400 crew for between ~500 to 600 passengers. SilverSea appears to qualify. Like SilverSea, Azamara will qualify with their small ships squeaking under the combined 1,300 person capacity limits with something closer to a 2:1 guest to crew ratio. Royal Caribbean's smallest ship, Empress of the Seas has a combined capacity of ~2,400 crew and passengers. All Royal Caribbean ships will be banned. Likewise the Carnival (WhaleTail) fleet is banned as is the NCL fleet. HAL, Princess, P&O, MSC, AIDA all banned. No mass market cruise line can go there now. Consequently the ban isn't limited to large ships. Only the smallest ships are allowed but most of those sail exotic destination like the Antarctic, Galapagos, river cruises in Europe or along the Mississippi river. Only luxury line sized ships are now permitted but luxury lines tend to call on a different type of cruise port of call. Who would spend $15k or $25k on a cruise to visit Key West? It's conceivable to state they have effectively banned most cruise ships if not all cruise ships that would tend to call on Key West. Seeing a cruise ship in Mallory Square will certainly be an oddity now.

This site is a private fan site not managed by Royal Caribbean and they do not participate on this site. No one here can answer your question. No one here can perform a comparative analysis between your favorite brands and what Royal Caribbean uses on board. We have tried to illustrate what might be provided on board and it appears that you are looking for a different answer. Suggest you contact Royal Caribbean on social media and ask them your question.

I was just looking at Grandeur cruises remaining on the website. Only one, Jan. 2, 2021 is 7 nights or shorter which is a condition of the CDC's CSO. She has nothing on the calendar beyond March and nothing else currently available for Grandeur satisfies the CSO. I can't see Royal making Grandeur an initial start up ship. This ship may have sailed her last Royal cruise. The CSO may be the end of her unless Royal comes up with a new plan for her.

Poor genie. Doesn't stand a chance...

Igloos have curtains?