fireclan

1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

...but our chorus of voices is growing louder and stronger....

I'm singing along with you (albeit off-key)!

4 hours ago, AlmondFarmer said:

Royal claims 700,000 have sailed since restart. I have not heard that a single one of these passengers has died from Covid contracted onboard a sailing.

Thus Royal Caribbean is doing a perfect job keeping their passengers safe without young kids being vaccinated. 

I would consider this a plain reason to not reduce the vaccination requirement age.

Does anyone know if this "700,000 have sailed" figure includes  those that sailed from Singapore during the pre-vaccine time period? Or does this only include US sailings along with the new Caribbean departure ports?

We've liked using Next Cruise due to the reduced deposit feature. On our last few cruises, we've paid for the "certificate", taken it home and then booked our subsequent cruise within the time frame stated (30 days? 60 days?) It doesn't require getting an appointment at the Next Cruise desk, just fill out the form and drop it off. The only downside I found is that the TA I used to book some of our subsequent cruises still required I pay the full RC deposit and wouldn't accept only the certificate as the deposit. But I can't say that's the policy of all companies.

54 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

I don't understand people who behave like that to children. I am sure in their everyday life they come across many unvaxxed. If you are doing what you need to stay healthy, it shouldn't matter. 

I agree...I don't understand people who behave like that based on what someone's relationship is with a current pharmaceutical.

14 hours ago, WannaCruise said:

Does parking at the port ever run out of spots?  Or that's not a worry?  i.e. wondering if we need a backup location if we drive

Their website states parking is guaranteed. After cruising from there multiple times, finding a parking spot has never been an issue.

My opinion is (after working the last seven years of my career in addictions) you definitely need a cruise. I hope this all works out as you sound like an honest person who wants to do the right thing by answering honestly.

Are these the tests that had the expiration dates extended by 3 months?

I received the email "Your Healthy Sailing Update - North America Protocols" last night. I read it, realized these are the same protocols that cruisers report complying with in recent months, and dumped it in the trash as nothing new. But today, reading this site, I realize that these protocols are in effect through March, 2022 (which covers 2 of the cruises I have booked) which is definitely NEW information. Don't you think that the protocols being extended that far out would be an important bit of information for Royal to include in this latest notification? I reviewed my email several times, and there is no mention of that date. 

So I guess I'll hold on to my January stateroom for now, pretending like I'm sailing (which I'm not) and using CWC to cancel at the last minute.

I am often a "less is more" person except when it comes to cruising...

More is Better!!!

Go for the extra day already!

33 minutes ago, Shay said:

Parking at the port is $_25/day, which on a 7 nite cruise is about $175= too much. Can anyone recommend a safe parking option with a cheaper rate? 

 

Thanks in advance

I think someone posted on this blog previously that the fee went to $30 per day starting sometime in Oct. 

I'm no help with parking alternatives, I've only parked at the terminal. Good luck.

1 hour ago, TXcruzer said:

Where is this screen located? Can you now purchase OBC in the cruise planner?

This is the BAC Royal Caribbean Visa reward points screen. Items or onboard credits you can use your reward points to purchase.

20 hours ago, mamie said:

We have the Royal Carribean Card and we are eligible for on board credit through the my cruise points. The website does not explain the difference.  Does it matter if I choose individual credit or shared onboard credit.  We only have one cabin and everything we book is usually per guest: such as unlimited dinning, excursions with the exception of couples treatment for the massages.  Do I need to choose shared credit if I want to purchase a couples treatment for the spa? The price is listed per couple. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Thank You in advance. 

I'm not sure if it matters which you select, but when my husband and I cruise together I've always purchased the shared OBC and there hasn't been a problem with anything we've purchased. If I cruised solo, or with my sister,  I would choose individual.

39 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I remember the trip tiks very well.  I can't remember how we got them.  I guess maybe we did go to a location and pick them up.  Gettin' old.  I guess I had forgotten that !

I just got a trip tik last year when we were planning a driving trip. Requested it through the AAA website and if I remember correctly, received it through the mail within a week. Yeah, I know, sort of "old school", but since I pay for the membership I try to use it.

30 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Not if the bureaucrats and Big Pharma have anything to say about it...

And, apparently, they have much to say about it.

6 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

The Unions (at least, Southwest Airlines Pilot Association (SWAPA)) are having to deny that their members are on a "sick out".  They are forbidden from taking job action to resolve labor disputes.  Now American is joining in.  It's going to get worse before it gets better unless the vaccine mandates are withdrawn.

Although we generally drive to cruise ports nearby for cruising, other travel plans usually have us flying SW.  If I trust these professionals in the air with my life and safety, I can certainly trust them to make a personal health decision for themselves.

37 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

Do you think the Airline unions would admit to an illegal work action? Is it just a coincidence that the Airlines that have a Dec 8 vaccine deadline because they are consider government contractors all of a sudden have a huge cancellation issue? It wasnt weather for Southwest because other airlines didnt experience it. 

Time will tell what is the true cause but to dismiss this off hand is not wise nor is it a given. I would be VERY concerned if I had an upcoming flight to make a Cruise and would be looking for other travel alternatives.

LETS GO BRANDON!!!!!

Uh oh...here comes an @Matt lock down!

45 minutes ago, Matt said:

That is not true

From Associated Press: Unsupported ‘sickout’ claims take flight amid Southwest woes

 

Definitely sounds like a case of the "Blue Flu" to me (firefighters and police will get this reference).

Gosh, it may be a new Royal Caribbean policy:

 - you can pick your cabin but can't keep your cabin.

Hopefully, everyone will be assigned a cabin they can deal with for the length of their cruise and still have a great time! After all, you're still on a cruise!

Yesterday via email I received the code: SAILOASIS for $50 off on Oasis cruises departing May-June 2022. I assume new bookings, but didn't read that far into it. It was combinable with other offers, though.

5 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Don’t forget about those of us who want to cruise but are being prohibited.  …or maybe we are being included in your “…lack of qualified…”. 
 

I am also in the "prohibited" group who will be forced to continue to cancel our cruises booked pre-mandates. Fortunately for us, I can cancel almost last minute for a refund but unfortunately for Royal, that leaves no time to fill the room. And thank you @cruisellama, "not qualified" is one of the nicer things a "prohibited" person like me has been called on this blog!

7 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

If the CSO disappeared today the majority of the protocols would stay.

 

But there are plenty that are obsolete and useless that would go away pretty fast (and would have to in order to get capacities back up to near normal)

Any ideas about which protocols would be changed or cancelled? And I'm curious about the capacity limits - I've read posts on here where the passenger count seemed to be as low as 17% yet others at 30-40% - how is that determined I wonder?

55 minutes ago, twangster said:

Backwards.  Like i said... Carnival.  

Aha. Ok, continue to impress me with which Carnival ship it is...

6 minutes ago, twangster said:

That's a Carnival ship... since Carnival loves to copy Royal but on a smaller scale.  

Doesn't the back say Symphony of the Seas? 

21 minutes ago, KLA said:

Hello from on board the Odyssey!!! It’s nice here. 
 

I saw the second ship out floating yesterday from the beach - I believe that that is the Celebrity Reflection which is scheduled to resume in November (from my very brief research that could be very incorrect)

Very jealous here! Enjoy it enough for all of us stuck at home!

Does the crew undergo routine testing? I don't recall if I read anything about crew protocols regarding testing.